Clay Guthrie, a 26-year-old steer wrestler from Ponoka, Alberta, is making a strong impression in his debut at the Calgary Stampede. On Tuesday, July 7, 2026, he recorded a swift 4.1-second run, splitting second place on the day and earning $8,500. Through two days of competition, he sits third overall in the bulldogging standings, behind Louisiana's Gavin Soileau ($9,500) and Hawaii's Trisyn Kalawaia ($9,000), who posted the top time of 4.0 seconds Tuesday.
Following a Family Legacy
Guthrie's presence at the Stampede is deeply personal. His father, Greg, also a bulldogger and the 2004 Ponoka champion, competed here before him. "Last time I was here was in 2004, watching my dad," Guthrie recalled. "Man, it's been everything I hoped for. I mean … this is something I grew up watching Dad do with him competing at the Calgary Stampede, so it's always been a dream of mine. And … yeah … getting to do it myself and seeing the crowds and getting to perform for everybody is a dream come true."
Guthrie's brother, Walker, is also a steer wrestler, continuing the family tradition. "Dad's my biggest hero, and steer wrestling is what he did," Guthrie said. "So that's what I was gonna do. And I've loved steer wrestling for as long as I can remember. So this has always been the goal."
Strong Start in the Pool
Guthrie's debut on Monday was a 4.3-second run, placing fourth and adding to his earnings. He described the experience: "First time, so there were some first-time jitters. Had a good steer — they'd done some winning on him before. And he just kind of drifted out to the right, and my feet fell a little short, but I got him torn down decent and made a little money."
On Tuesday, he drew another quality steer. "He was really good, had lots of great reports, and so I just went out there and got him caught, threw him down to split second on the day. So … I mean … can't complain about that."
Eyes on Championship Sunday
With $8,500 in earnings, Guthrie is in contention to advance to the final nine on Championship Sunday. He remains focused on the task at hand. "There's always more work to do, and you can't count your chips before the hands dealt," he said. "But … yeah … we're just taking it one steer at a time. Today is a success. Tomorrow, we'll worry about then."
When asked which victory would mean more—winning in Calgary or at his hometown rodeo in Ponoka—Guthrie grinned. "It depends what motivates you a little more, I guess. Yeah … there's more money to be won here, I suppose. But there's something to be said for winning that rodeo that goes down 'The Alley' in Ponoka, too. They're both pretty cool rodeos." For now, his focus is firmly on the Calgary Stampede, where he hopes to add his name to the list of champions.
