Bull Rider Sets Winning Record at Calgary Stampede by Brenda McDonald It was one wild ride. MSU alum Robert Bowers, '94 Bus, rode the bull Final Fantasy at the July Calgary Stampede into history and became the only cowboy to ever win $85,677 at any rodeo in Canada. After 10 years on the pro rodeo circuit, after chasing rodeos from town to town, after falls and injuries, Bowers from Brooks, Alberta, Canada won his favorite. Photo Courtesy of Calgary Stampede "It was amazing. Calgary has always been my favorite rodeo,"said the 30-year-old Bowers. "I go there every year, but I've also had some of my worst injuries there. It's been up and down for me." The Calgary Stampede is perhaps the best known rodeo in the world, with more than 40,000 people watching from the grandstands, and the event is also televised. But for Bowers what was even sweeter was that his mom, dad and brother saw his historic performance. "They were so happy,"he said. It was his dad who first whetted his appetite for the rough and tumble sport by rodeoing just about every weekend throughout Canada. The family came along. "I think I was three or four when I was in my first rodeo,"Bowers said. Bowers took his rodeoing to college at the College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls and then was recruited to MSU in 1994 by MSU rodeo coach John Larick. "Everybody knew about the MSU rodeo team,"he said. "I had competed against them at the College Finals." He had a stand-out college career as four-time College National Finals Rodeo champion. While on the MSU team they won the men's national championship. "Coach Larick was great,"he said. "He was well-rounded and could help us work on whatever we needed. We had all the opportunity in the world to do the best we could. Those were very good years." But those years also saw his worst rodeo injury. "I broke my jaw. It shattered when a bull stepped on it,"he said. "I was in intensive care for three days and spent 17 days in the hospital." Bowers chases the rodeo circuit year round. "When I'm healthy, I just keep going." "I love the traveling and talking to new people,"said Bowers. "I've been all over the United States and Canada, from Florida to Washington. It's great to be able to do what I love and also see the world."