The Canadian Finals Rodeo wrapped up Saturday, and eight of Canada’s best were crowned after hard-fought battles in Edmonton.

The 2026 CFR championship class features a strong mix of new and repeat champions who represent their nation proudly.

These eight athletes shone the brightest at Rogers Place:

Bareback Riding: Orin Larsen

Orin Larsen entered the CFR in 1st place and left with his second career CFR Championship. He won his first back in 2019.

Larsen earned $58,534.59 at the CFR and picked up checks in all five rounds. He was 428.50 on five to win the aggregate, peaking with two 86.75 scores in Rounds 1 and 5, and won the First and Fourth rounds. He finished with $110,011.26 overall and won by over $33,000.

Larsen was about $20,000 shy of an NFR qualification this season and finished 17th, but earned a gold buckle regardless.

Steer Wrestling: Scott Guenthner

Scott Guenthner entered the CFR in 1st with a $30,000 lead in the standings, and despite a poor CFR performance, he walked away with his 6th CFR Steer Wrestling Championship. It’s the third time Guenthner has won back-to-back in the last eight CFR’s, coming up short in 2021 and 2024.

Guenthner only earned one check through all five rounds. He was 3.9 seconds in Round 1 for 2nd place and was never better than 6th in the following rounds. He finished 4th in the aggregate, though, which made up the bulk of his $12,532.59 in event earnings. Landon Beardsworth and Ryan Shuckburgh more than tripled Guenthner’s CFR event earnings but still ended up in 2nd and 3rd, more than 13,000 behind Guenthner in the end. Guenthner entered the CFR with the biggest lead of any athlete competing, and it paid off with another Championship.

Breakaway Roping: Bradi Whiteside

Bradi Whiteside started her CFR with a No-Time, but went on to sweep the rest of the event. Whiteside won Rounds 2 through 5, and was 2.0 or faster in three of the four rounds. Her fastest out came in Round 3 when she was 1.8. She posted 7.8 seconds on four, which won her the aggregate by 1.2 seconds. Whiteside entered the CFR with $42,557.61 and just a $ 3,500 lead over 2nd. She won $37,730.00, about $13,000 more than anyone else, and cruised to her second-straight CFR Breakaway Roping Championship. Her season purse grew to $80,287.61, $32,000 more than Jenna Dallyn, who finished 2nd.

Saddle Bronc Riding: Ben Andersen

Ben Andersen cashed checks in all five rounds. He never finished worse than 3rd, and won both the Third and Second Rounds. His best score came in that Second Round, where he was 89.5 on Yule Rodeo’s Mary Lou. His five scores were enough to win the aggregate as well, and he beat out Zeke Thurston 438.75 – 433.75.

Andersen entered the CFR in 4th with $55,937.61, but earned a whopping $62,957.86, $20,000 more than the next most, bringing his season total to $118,895.47. He beat out Thurston by less than $4,000 to earn his first Canadian Finals Rodeo Championship. It’s the first time since 2018 that someone besides Zeke Thurston won the Saddle Bronc Championship.

Andersen will get to carry his gold buckle momentum into his 5th career NFR, which he unofficially qualified for in 15th.

Tie-Down Roping: Austin Hines

Austin Hines picked up checks in all five rounds and won three. He was the only contestant to go sub-8.0 seconds twice, with his fastest being a 7.3 in Round 4. Hines won the aggregate posting 41.8 seconds on five. He entered the CFR in 4th with $35,386.06 but earned $55,487.46 at the event, which shot him to $90,873.52 in season earnings. It’s the 25-year-old’s first CFR Tie-Down Championship.

Team Roping: Kavis Drake/ Denim Ross

Kavis Drake and Denim Ross put on a clinic at the CFR, winning two rounds and cashing checks in four. They were an event-fastest 3.8 seconds in Round 4 and were 32.80 seconds overall on five to win the aggregate. Each teammate won $47,034.10, bringing their season totals to $94,866.84. It’s Drake’s second CFR gold buckle; his first came in 2024 alongside Jeremy Buhler, but it’s Ross’ first of his career. Drake and Ross missed out on the NFR this year, each finishing 23rd, but they end their season as champions regardless.

Barrel Racing: Karli Cowie

The Barrel Racing standings were the closest of any event, with all 12 contestants within $12,000 of each other. Karli Cowie entered the CFR in 7th with $32,736.05, but completed the biggest comeback of any athlete in any event and won her first CFR gold buckle. Cowie placed in four of five rounds, and won the fourth round with an event-fastest 13.52. She was sub-13.75 seconds in three rounds, more than any other contestant. Her elite consistency won her the aggregate and $38,187.56 overall, bringing her season total to $70,923.61, just over $5,000 more than 2nd-place Austyn Tobey.

Bull Riding: Grady Young

Grady Young entered and left the CFR on top, although he wasn’t the top earner in the event. Jordan Hansen earned an event-high $42,905.71, to Young’s $41,431.29. Hansen won the aggregate over Young by a point, 256.75 to 255.75 on three. However, Young won Rounds 1 and 2 with an 87.00 and 87.50, respectively. That, plus a score in the Third Round, was enough for Young to finish the event with a comfortable season total of $85,765.30 and his first career CFR Bull Riding Championship.