The Calgary Stampede is a topsy-turvy mistress.
One day she gives you everything, the next she takes it all away.
Just ask steer wrestler Tanner Milan.
Last year, the Cochrane cowboy had a stellar 10 days at the rodeo, blazing through the competition, leading all bulldoggers in the standings right up until the final day before being disqualified.
This time around, things haven’t been so smooth.
On day one, Milan scored a no time. The second day, he placed fourth and picked up $2,500. On day three, his steer pulled up and Milan went flying over the horns, picking up another no time.
“That steer didn’t go on day one either,” Milan stated after his day three no time. “I didn’t know much about him, but he ended up being a lot slower than I expected.
“Sometimes you don’t get the best steer and have to deal with it, but that’s just the way it works.”
Milan looked to bounce back on July 11, and did just that, picking up a second place finish, with a rocket fast 3.8 seconds time, taking his winnings up to $7,000 for the week and keeping him well in the hunt for the finals and the $100,000 grand prize.
“I’ll be back Saturday for sure,” the 30-year-old Milan said, “Hopefully I can just keep things going and get stronger, we’ll see if I can make it through the wild card and get to Sunday.”
The two-time Canadian Finals Rodeo champion has had a mixed season, sitting 15th in the Canadian Pro Rodeo standing and 22nd in the United States with the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, but this could be his best chance to take home the grand prize his older brother Straws won a couple of years ago, and that sibling rivalry is something that drives the younger Milan.
“We build off each other,” he said. “Ever since we were kids we’ve practised all the time, and tell each other what we’re doing wrong and how to fix it.”
