Amidst the hubbub of event postponements and rodeo fans’ attention turning towards Las Vegas, The Canadians were hosting their Maple Leaf Circuit Finals in Regina, Saskatchewan, with Bradi Whiteside clinching the Year-End honors and Jenna Dallyn capturing the Average title.
How does the Maple Leaf Circuit work?
In Canada, every ProRodeo counts towards the Canadian National Finals Rodeo qualification that takes place in Edmonton, Alberta, in early October. Looking even closer, ProRodeos are further divided into two categories; $8,000 of more in added money are tour rodeos that qualify competitors for the SMS Equipment Tour Finale in Armstrong, British Columbia. Less than $8,000 in added money mean they’re Maple Leaf Circuit rodeos.
“I would say it’s fairly tough to make it the Circuit Finals just because everybody who rodeos in Canada goes to every single circuit rodeo,” Jenna Dallyn explained. “And they only take 10 to the Circuit Finals.”
Bradi Whiteside: Year-End Champion Powered by “Teacher” and a Season of Adaptability
Whiteside may be known for juggling success in both the barrels and the breakaway, but her 2025 circuit season was built on one constant: good horses.
“I’m very thankful for my horses,” Whiteside said. “I couldn’t do it without them.”
Her main mount, “Teacher” (Hot For Teacher)—owned by her boyfriend, Ben Bamford—carried her through the bulk of the season. But this year looked a little different. Whiteside also hauled a 6-year-old gelding she calls Rico, registered as OU dynaliveson, seasoning him at about 15 rodeos.
“It was very different for me to have to get off Teacher and try to season a young one,” Whiteside said. “But it actually worked out really good. He ended up helping me win a few rodeos.”
Some of Whiteside’s key season victories included Stavely, Innisfail, Fort McLeod and Benalto, all in Alberta.
The Maple Leaf Circuit Finals brought its own mix of highs and frustration. Whiteside caught in every round, but didn’t quite rope the way she wanted in the first and third rounds. She posted 2.4 and 2.6-second runs in rounds 2 and 3, enough to fend off peer Mikenna Schauer, who finished No. 2 in the average and about $300 behind Whiteside in the Year-End.
“I actually didn’t even know until I got a text asking me to come down and receive my Yeti cooler,” Whiteside admitted. “I don’t look at the money. I’m still going to go out there and try to rope my calf as fast as I can.”
Whiteside’s approach—don’t chase math, just rope—proved steady enough to secure the championship.
Looking towards 2026, Whiteside isn’t over-planning.
“I’ll definitely rodeo up here in the summer,” Whiteside said. “And I’m thinking about maybe going down south to some winter rodeos, but we’ll see how it all plays out.”
For now, she’ll continue training barrel horses, starting colts, and developing her rope horses during the week.
Jenna Dallyn: Third Maple Leaf Average Title on a New Horse, JW
While Whiteside took the year-end crown, Dallyn stole the Finals spotlight with a veteran-like performance—the third average win of her career at the Maple Leaf Circuit Finals.
Dallyn’s time of 12.7 on four head came from rounds of 2.8, 4.2, 2.8, and 2.9 seconds—the outlier being 4.2 that changed her plan. She knew the calf from experience—and not the good kind.
“The girl who had him in the first round broke the barrier on him. I had him at the Canadian Finals and broke the barrier on him, too,” Dallyn said.
To avoid a repeat, she gave the calf a chance to leave—but ended up being much later than planned. The steer faded left, and Dallyn shifted instantly into “catch mode.”
Even with the adjustment, getting four caught was the key.
“Usually catching all four will get you a good check at the Finals,” Dallyn said. “It doesn’t always get you the win, but it gives you a chance.”
This year’s average title wasn’t on her standout horse Doc. Instead, Dallyn saddled JW, a 10-year-old gelding she purchased in late May. Registered as Smart Pepcid Lena, the red roan is a cow horse through and through
“I was just looking for a B horse to Doc, something I could practice on and jackpot on,” Dallyn said. “When I got him, the main thing was just leaving the box with his stride. After the Canadian Finals I finally got a run of days in a row to practice, and we were able to get together.”
The payoff was immediate—steady, consistent runs through all four rounds.
This was Dallyn’s fifth Maple Leaf Circuit Finals appearance, and she has now won or split the average three times.
And now, Colorado Springs is back on the calendar.
Dallyn is taking the coming season “90 days at a time,” but winter rodeos are up next—including Houston, which she gets to enter for the first time.
“I’d like to rodeo again and give myself the same opportunity as last year,” Dallyn said. “We’ll just see where everything goes.”
Between Whiteside’s year-end consistency and Dallyn’s Finals precision, Canada will once again send two strong contenders to represent the Maple Leaf Circuit on the national stage.
