MARSHALL CASHES IN AT 15 OF THE LAST 16 RODEOS
August 19 , 2009

Jake Marshall has been bucking up a lot of dust on the rodeo trail in 2009, and to say the Australian bareback rider is having a good year would be a bit of an understatement.

Marshall, who competes out of Wardlow, Alta., has consistently been in the top 10 of the Canadian bareback standings since the season began, but it was roughly around the time of the Calgary Stampede that the young cowboy really started to blaze a trail.

You see, riding bucking horses at the Calgary Stampede was a big goal for the 28-year-old cowboy, but it wasn’t looking like it would happen. At least not in 2009. But when he got the call to fill in spots vacated by injured contestants, well, they probably didn’t have to ask him twice.

He didn’t win the $50,000, but it would seem to have given the cowboy the boost of confidence he needed to dominate the final portion of the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association season.

Most recently, Marshall cashed in at the Pincher Creek Fair & Rodeo, the Jasper Heritage Rodeo, and the Cranbrook Pro Rodeo in British Columbia.

At Jasper, Alta., Marshall got on Dirty Diana, a bay mare from Harvey Northcott. He picked up 75.5 points and a seventh place cheque worth $94. The following day, he earned $948 on another mare, Outlawbucker’s Bar Star, with an 82.0 ride for second place in Pincher Creek, Alta. Then, on Sunday, he added another $141 to his weekend’s earnings aboard Vold Rodeo’s Badger.

The triple placings were worth a combined $1,183 and further secured Marshall’s place in the standings. He now sits in second place with $20,690, more than two grand ahead of his total earnings for 2008.

With just eight regular season rodeos remaining before the Canadian Finals Rodeo, Marshall’s consistency has paid off, but will be more key than ever as the season winds down and contestants make their final bid for a spot at the CFR.

The 2006 Australian bareback riding champion has placed at 15 of the last 16 rodeos, and was in the top four at eight.