The Athlete’s Choice: Stampede Bucking Stock Shine on the National Stage

From the foothills of southern Alberta to the bright lights of Las Vegas, Calgary Stampede horses have earned a reputation as some of the most sought-after bucking stock in rodeo.

That reputation was proven again this season, with 38 Stampede horses selected for the 2025 Canadian Finals Rodeo (CFR) and 14 headed to Las Vegas next month for the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) - an achievement that reflects decades of commitment to raising world-class bucking stock.

For Zeke Thurston, a four-time World Champion Saddle Bronc Rider, four-time Calgary Stampede champion and seven-time CFR champion, including at this year’s event that took place in Edmonton from Oct. 1-4, that philosophy translates directly to performance. “There are lots of guys with really good bucking horses,” he says. “But Calgary’s quality is just untouchable. The horses are straight-up athletes – big, strong, smart horses with kind eyes and an athletic build. Those horses are taken care of better than yourself, and there’s a reason they perform like they do.”

“The horses are chosen based on their performance through the year,” explains Tyler Kraft, Manager of the Calgary Stampede Ranch & Stock Contracting Operations. “Riders have been watching them all season — whether they’re good indoors or outdoors — and they make an accumulative decision about which horses give them the best chance to win money. It’s like picking your dance partner. You want to make the prettiest dance with the highest degree of difficulty.”

The Stampede’s world renowned Born to Buck breeding program and stock contracting business dates back to 1961, with generations of breeding focused on strength, balance, and temperament. “Everybody that came before me did an amazing job of promoting the brand and the horses,” says Kraft. “Guys like Zeke — his dad was getting on the mothers or grandmothers of the horses he’s riding today. People have become fans of the horses themselves.”

At this year’s CFR, C-35 Crocket was named Saddle Bronc Horse of the CFR, a mare whose journey shows how patience pays off. “She wasn’t anything special to begin with,” Kraft explains. “Contestants didn’t really pay much mind to her — big solid Bay mare, not a lot of timing. Then we took her to Zeke’s event (The Zeke Thurston Invitational Xtreme Broncs Challenge) last summer and she just absolutely bucked phenomenal. She kind of skyrocketed from there and hasn’t really looked back.”

Crocket is now heading to her first NFR at ten years old. “It just shows that not every horse is a superstar right out of the gate,” Kraft adds. “They can improve and get better with age.”

That steady development is part of a program that’s as much about care as competition. “They aren’t going to buck if they’re not happy,” says Kraft. “It’s our job to make sure they’re healthy and content — they get top feed, veterinary care and time to rest. They’re athletes, and we treat them that way.”

For Thurston, that philosophy translates directly to performance and to why he’s always excited to draw a Calgary horse. “You’re usually pretty happy,” he says. “They’re big, strong, pretty, athletic, and you usually have a chance to win.”

He describes riding as a partnership: “It’s a dance, and the horse is leading. People think you’re trying to out-muscle the animal, but it’s timing and balance. You want that animal to have its very best day so you can perform at your very best.”

For both Kraft and Thurston, the accolades at this year’s CPRA Awards, including Canadian Stock Contractor of the Year for the Calgary Stampede and Top Bareback Horse of the Year for D-508 Disco Party, reflect something deeper than trophies.

“At the end of the day, our reward is hearing a cowboy say, ‘I hope I draw one of yours,’” says Kraft. “That’s when we know we’ve done our job.”