Early Leaders Emerge As 2026 Calgary Stampede Gets Underway

The first performance of the 2026 Calgary Stampede is officially in the books! With more than $2 million in added money on the line, Friday’s matinee performance marked the opening of an exciting 10 days of competition as athletes begin their pursuit of a spot in Championship Sunday.

Garrett Shadbolt led the bareback riding with an 86.5-point ride aboard Expose Not, earning $7,000. Cole Franks finished second with 86 points, while Clayton Biglow placed third with 84.5 points. Stetson Wright topped the saddle bronc riding leaderboard after posting 90 points on Perlich's Killing Time. Wyatt Casper followed with 88.5 points, and Rusty Wright was close behind with an 88. Lefty Holman rounded out the top four with an 86.5-point ride.

Cooper James topped the bull riding with 87.5 points aboard Alberta Prime Devil's Advocate. T Parker finished second with 86 points, Bryce Jensen was third with 84, and Stetson Wright added another paycheck in Calgary by placing fourth with 83.5 points.

Alberta's Kyle Lucas and Haven Meged each stopped the clock in 7.8 seconds to split the top spot in tie-down roping. Bryce Derrer finished third with 8.1 seconds, followed by Trevor Hale with an 8.2. Steer wrestling also ended with a tie at the top of the leaderboard. Jesse Brown and Bridger Anderson each recorded runs of 4.4 seconds, with Holden Myers taking third with 4.7 seconds and Justin Shaffer finishing fourth with a 4.8.

After a successful inaugural year for breakaway roping in Calgary in 2025, it returned for its second year at "The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.” Payton Scalzo turned in the fastest run of the day, winning the round in 2.6 seconds. Alberta cowgirls Jenna Dallyn and Bobbi Henderson tied for second with matching 3.4-second runs, while Cadee Williams placed fourth with a 3.5.

In barrel racing, Heidi Gunderson clocked the only run under 17 seconds, winning the round with a 16.94. Alberta's Taylor Manning was second with a 17.01, followed by Jayden Wilson with a 17.32. Catherine Asmussen and Julie Plourde rounded out the top five.

The race to the 2026 Calgary Stampede Championship is just getting started, and Rodeo Roundtable will be sharing the action every step of the way.