Issac Diaz overcomes injury to join rodeo winners at Calgary Stampede

Spurred byfamily at home, Isaac Diaz bounced back from injury to post a narrow win in the saddle bronc competition on Day 2 of rodeo at the Calgary Stampede on Saturday.

Five days ago, the 31-year-old Texan was lying on a stretcher when a bad chute exit crunched his shoulders down on his hips. Diaz recovered to earn 87 points, riding Warped Logic to a one-point victory over defending champion and overall Pool A leader Zeke Thurston, who hails from Big Valley, Alta.

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"Well, praise God that nothing broke," a relieved Diaz said in a story published to the Stampede website. "[Doctors] said I had multiple separated ribs up my spine. I never have felt anything that painful before. But I definitely had a lot of people praying for me at home. It's getting better every day."

Calgary Stampede Rodeo Roundup: Day 2

6 years ago

Duration 7:47

2018 Calgary Stampede on CBC

The Florida-born Diaz, who now lives in Desdemona, Tex., made $5,500 on Saturday to raise his total to $8,500 while Thurston sits at $9,000.

Elsewhere Saturday:

The winning time in tie-down roping was 6.9 seconds for the second consecutive day and belonged to Cade Swor from Chico, Tex. Fellow Texan Cory Solomon, who posted an identical time on Friday, tied for third on Saturday.

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Bareback rider Clint Laye from Cadogan, Alta., posted a score of 88 on Youngstown Rocket for the win, vaulting the 2015 Stampede champion to the top of the Pool A standings with $10,000 in earnings.

"It just kept running through my head, 'Keep your head down and keep moving, keep fighting.' It ended up working out really good," said Laye, whose uncle, Billy Laye, was the 1991 Canadian bareback riding champion.

Calgary Stampede Rangeland Derby Wrap: Day 2

6 years ago

Duration 2:00:01

2018 Calgary Stampede on CBC

Molle tops Rangeland Derby standings

In steer wrestling, Cody Cassidy of Donalda, Alta., turned over his steer in 4.4 seconds, a time matched by Stampede newcomer Rowdy Parrot of Louisiana, so they split third place and $10,000.

Kris Molle climbed to top spot in the Rangeland Derby aggregate standings after blazing through Heat 8 in one minute 11.49 seconds. The chuckwagon driver who was born in Watson, Sask., has a combined time of 2:23.12.

Tanghe, Davis, Seely prevail in 10 class team penning

In the finals of 10 class team cattle penning, Coralea Tanghe, Clinton Davis and Justin Seely recorded an aggregate score of 142.73 seconds over four rides with 12 head penned for the victory.

They penned the team's designated three head of cattle in 38.01 seconds in Round 2 and 39.4 in the final round. Two of the top three teams in the opening round didn't post a time after failing to pen.

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In the event, teams of three riders have 60 seconds to separate three cattle wearing designated number from a herd of 30 and guide them into a 16-foot by 24-foot pen at the opposite end of the arena. The rest of the herd must remain behind a line or the team is eliminated.

There were 299 teams entered in an event with the biggest purse of the four team cattle penning classes at $136,344 an contested before a standing room-only gathering at the Nutrien Western Event Centre.

Pat Bolin along with David and Tanner Ruby were the 10 class reserve champions with an aggregate time of 146.94 seconds with 12 head penned.