Covy Moore/Rocky View Publishing

The 2011 Calgary Stampede $100,000 champion Straws Milan tackles his steer during the bulldogging event of the slack performance at the Airdrie Pro Rodeo, June 28. Milan ran a time of four seconds flat, which would have given him the lead, but broke the barrier giving him a 10-second penalty.

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Stampede champion on track for another great rodeo season

Cochrane’s Straws Milan, last year’s Calgary Stampede $100,000 steer wrestling champion is sitting 21st and 10th overall in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) and Canadian Professional Rodeo Association (CPRA) standings, respectively.

As July gets underway, Milan is keeping his eye on that PRCA standing, as he hopes to head to Las Vegas for the National Finals Rodeo this December.

“I am sitting in the top 20 in the world standings,” said Milan. “I have a pretty good chance at going to Vegas, that is the plan.”

After taking home the big prize at the Calgary Stampede last season, Straws said that made rodeo life easier, as he has become his own sponsor for the year.

“It’s still just rodeoing, it’s just easier to go down the road,” said Milan. “I am going without any sponsors, so I am paying for everything.”

Milan’s weekend is very similar to the rest of the competitors of the CPRA, and will be heading north to the Ponoka Stampede and the Williams Lake Rodeo.

“I would definitely like to win $10,000 this weekend or more. Ponoka is one you have to do, there is a lot of money up there, and even Airdrie and Williams Lake, you can win a lot,” said Milan, who took a barrier penalty in slack June 28 in Airdrie and will have to run quick at the other rodeos to take home some money. “I never have any luck here in Airdrie.”

With the Calgary Stampede, the Canadian Finals Rodeo and National Finals Rodeo on his radar, Milan said he is practicing as much as he can, and found a great group of cowboys to travel with this season.

“I have been riding good horses, practicing when I am home,” said Milan. “I travel with a good group of guys. I am travelling with Curtis and Cody Cassidy (Donalda), my brothers (Tanner and Baillie) and Todd Maughan (Airdrie). Everybody has been to the Canadian Finals, we are always pushing each other.”

Milan will be competing in the Calgary Stampede in pool B, which performs July 10 to 13, but said this time of year is nice because he gets to spend some time near home.

“Being home, having breakfast at home, it’s great,” said Milan. “I have been playing baseball the past few weeks, we play on a softball team. It’s been real nice spending some time at home because after this weekend we are gone full time again.”