WYATT HAYES THE NEW ALL AROUND

BY TIM ELLIS

In 2022, the Canadian Pro Rodeo Association changed the names of two coveted year-end awards. The All-Around championship became the Kenny McLean Award, while the High Point Award was changed to the All Around. The first name to be scribed on the newly named All Around buckle is Wyatt Hayes.

“It took me a couple of days to get through all the messages,” chuckles Hayes, describing the support he received after winning the award. “It opened my eyes to how much support I have around home.”

The 27-year-old, Granum, Alta, cowboy had an advantage going into the Canadian Finals Rodeo in November 2022. He was the only contestant to qualify in two events at the CFR.

“It was my first full season in the team roping,” explains Hayes, who also qualified in the tie-down roping. “I was always the guy everybody picked up for a weekend.”

“I guess I never really looked super-hard for a partner. Maybe I didn’t put myself out there enough for anyone to ask me, either. But I’ve been team roping since I was five years old. It’s always come easy for me.”

His partnership in 2022 with Lochlan Christianson paid off. Well, at least for Hayes.

“If we’d have placed in the top three or four, it would have been fine,” offers Hayes in describing how his heeling partner missed the CFR cut by $1,500 when four teams split the team roping win at the final regular season rodeo in Edmonton, leaving the pair splitting fifth.

Ironically, one of those teams to split the win was Tuftin and Tyce McLeod, the latter who would become Hayes’ partner for the CFR. Together they would win $8,387 in Red Deer, including an important fourthplace cheque in round six.

“It didn’t kick in until Curtis (Cassidy) won the last round (in steer wrestling),” says Hayes, who grew up near Val Marie, Sask. “Then, I realized I was actually competing against a guy who had won it (former High Point award) so many times before.”

‘I didn’t really think about the All Around coming into the CFR. I knew I had a chance because I was in two events. But I was concentrating on those events. In the back of my mind, I thought if I did good in each event, I would be OK.”

In the end, Hayes beat out the nine-time High Point champion by just over $3,500, buoyed by a third-place cheque in the tiedown on the final day.

“The tie-down roping is hard for me,” confides Hayes, who credits the tutelage of Saskatchewan roper Shawn Williamson and his New Mexico college rodeo coach, Marty Eakin, for helping him refine his skills. “I actually got my yellow mare (Score) from Shawn and used her at college.”

It was that 12-year-old horse that Hayes used at the CFR and the one he plans to use in 2023.

“The goal is to qualify in both again. And maybe win a championship in both or one of the events.” c