Lisa Groves - CFR50

Lisa Groves is competing at her first Canadian Finals Rodeo, after finishing eleventh in the regular season standings, entering 44 rodeos, and pocketing $21,763.53. Groves won Morris and Okotoks, and placed at several other rodeos throughout the season, and has already kickstarted her 2025 season placing at Medicine Lodge Pro Rodeo.

What is it that makes your horse so special to you?
I have actually competed on and placed on three different horses this season, but the one that has made this qualification possible is ALG CASHFLO “Moolah”. He is a 6 year old gelding, sired by Perks French Cash and out of a mare that we owned, HA Sweet N Low. There is so much about him that is special- first off, he’s a horse that our family raised, and aside from his initial start, our family has done all of his formal training.  “ Moolah” is not only a nice barrel horse, but also a really nice head horse. Our son, Brody, bought him from us as a started two year old, trained “Moolah” in the heading, and then I trained him in barrels after that.  He was a late bloomer in the spring of last year, so I didn’t enter him at the spring futurities.  He just wasn’t ready.  But he made steady gains every time that I entered, and by the end of his futurity year, he was a Top 12 Qualifier at the CBHI Futurity last October (Canada’s largest futurity).  It was last fall that we traded with Brody – “Moolah” in exchange for the horse of our’s (Aaron and I), ALG Classy Lil Roo “Finn”,  that he was winning on at the Pro Rodeos. Seemed silly that I was hauling his horse and he was hauling ours.  

“Moolah” is super broke and incredibly consistent – he runs the same every time, and seldom knocks barrels – two in his entire career so far (and when he does knock barrels, he’s a little scared of them, lol).  His willingness to trust me at the rodeos, and step into each situation with so much maturity, has made us so proud of him.  I never feel like I’m riding a “colt”.

 What has been your most memorable run in 2024, and what made it memorable for you?
I would have to say that my run at Morris to win my first Pro Rodeo was very memorable.  It was almost perfect, and we won the rodeo by 3/10’s.  What made it an even more special was that our son’s, Logan and Brody, also won the team roping at Morris.  Proud day as a competitor, but I’ll always be a proud mom first.    

 What was different about your rodeo season this year compared to last year or other seasons?
My first year competing in the CPRA was 2022.  I didn’t win a lot that year, but I did win enough to fill my permit and buy my card.  In 2023, I struggled early in the season – if there was a day to draw to not place, I felt like that was my draw.  I actually stopped entering by mid June, and my quit-point was Innisfail – coincidentally, the exact same point in my 2024 season that I started to place.  In 2023, I feel like the universe was telling me to get home and build the young horses that were there and were not developing because I was at the rodeos.  So that’s what I did.  I regrouped and entered all the big barrel races, and worked on getting my 5 year olds at the time, solid.  I only entered a couple of rodoes in July and August.

 My focus in 2024 was entirely different.  I took on the season with a “one run at a time” mindset, knowing that I would be competing on two 6 year olds, with minimal rodeo experience, and my older rodeo horse, who happens to be very opinionated about ground conditions.  No big goals, and immense gratitude for every good run that they gave me.   

Did you face any challenges this season? Tell us about them.
The biggest challenge for me was being able to enter the rodeos that I needed to, while staying ahead with my work.  I am a Reclamation Consultant and my work has some timelines that need to be met in order to be considered optimum.  I have relied heavily on the help of Aaron, Logan and Brody to help me stay ahead with these timelines, and I am so grateful for their help.  Once again, we have a pasture full of young talented horses sitting, waiting for our attention at home, but they are 3 and 4 year olds, and I’ll have time in my off season to get them caught up and ready to enter. 

Tell the readers something good that happened to you this season, other than placing at, or winning a rodeo.
We got to spend our second winter in Arizona, where we enjoyed good weather, great friendships, and lots of time with our horses. 

We really enjoyed watching Bailey Smith qualify for and compete at the Calgary Stampede on a horse that we’d raised, ALG Starlight Blue. Bailey is such a hand, and we couldn’t have asked for a better person to own one of horses – we’re big fans! We try really hard to keep up with, and watch all the horses from our program and their people, and we take great pride in any successes that they achieve. 

Its always fun watching our boys rope and compete.  We really wished they’d have had more success earlier in the season – there would have been no greater feeling than sharing my first CFR experience with them, but we will be cheering for them next year

Who is your travelling partner, and what do you enjoy most about travelling with them?
I don’t have lot of travelling partners.  In 2023, I travelled with my good friend, Janet Moen, and I sure missed her this year.  Janet has helped me so much in finding my way at the pro rodeos – she’s been down this road, she’s been at the top of her game, I know I can bounce ideas about horses off of her, and I trust her judgement on most things (horse/rodeo related or not).  In 2024, Aaron helped my make the many miles that it took for me to make the CFR (he, too, misses Janet, and teased her all spring about getting entered so that he didn’t have to go everywhere with me).  All joking aside – Aaron is awesome to travel with.  He knows the horses as well as I do, he helps me keep everything fit at home and one the road, he helps me make decisions about what horse to ride and when, and he always drives, giving me the opportunity to work while I passenger.

What is the best advice you’d give to readers, about horses and or competing?
Don’t quit a season too soon.  This has been my problem for a lot of years, and with many horses.  Stay focused, make the miles, make the runs and see what happens. 

The advice that I gave my kids early on in their rodeo careers was to make sure and have a really short memory; don’t dwell on a bad run and carry it with you to the next run. 

Trust your training and trust your horse.  Be brave.  Keep it fun.  And ALWAYS be grateful for being able to do the things you love.

Favourite Canadian rodeo this year, and why?
I have to go with Ponoka.  My horse worked amazing, it was the closest I’ve ever been to competing on a “world stage”, I had lots of people watching in Ponoka  and on the Cowboy Channel, and so many of my friends and family cheering me on.  What a rush to be in the 12 Round!  We were on route to Airdrie rodeo, watching the last performance on Sunday afternoon on the Cowboy Channel.  When I seen that my name was still on the board, and my time had held through all of those runs, I burst into tears.  I think that was the first of many happy tears that I shed over my season. 

Which of the other CFR Qualifiers horses would you swing a leg over if given the chance and why?
I have loved Rene Leclerc’s (Corleen’s actually) horse “Jewel”, since the first time I watched Rene run her, years ago.  She’s just my kind of horse and I have a soft spot for a pretty bay mare.

What can you or your horse not live without on the road?

Coffee is life for me.  MacDonalds black when I stop. Moolah loves his Xlr8 Equine products, specifically his mesh sheet, hood and fly mask. We both thrive on daily electrolytes – My choice is Kyani Coconut Lime and “Moolah’s” CEP daily drip. I always have candy in  the truck when trying to get through long drives – black licorice & wine gums for me, as wdll as lots of healthy snacks in my fridge to keep me fuelled.

Mental game; how do you stay mentally strong in the rodeo game, with many ups and downs?

I mentioned it earlier – the biggest part of my mental game having a short memory.  I try to not carry highs or lows with me from run to run.  Stay consistent in your training and running style, and you should have a horse that understands what you expect and stays consistent, also.  I try to never get nervous, because I don’t want my horses to feed off of that.  I check my emotions and reactions at the gate on the way in and leave them out of the arena, and it helps me to stay focused. 

Do you have plans of heading south this winter? If so, what does this look like for you, where do you plan on entering?
We do have plans to return to Arizona for a few months.  This will be our third winter in the Maricopa area.  I will enter the winter Arizona rodoes that fit into our schedule, and I am crossing my fingers that I will get into Tucson in February.  I have always wanted to run at this one, and never met the qualifications until now.  Its looks like a super fun rodeo.

Do you have any up and coming prospects, and or, what do you look for in a prospect that you could share a little about with readers?
I always have up and comers, lol.  I will have two futurity-aged mares for 2025, as well as a 2026 futurity-hopeful come with us to Arizona.  I love some combination of cow and running bred lines– that’s what all of the horses that I run are.  I love strong female lines – it seems that our most proven off-spring come from the same mares, irregardless of the stallion. I love low hocks, long underlines, clean throat latches, and I like them pretty headed, preferably in bay, brown or black (but please don’t tell “Moolah”, my palomino,  that).  A horse with lots of try that really wants to please is one that I love to spend my time with, and I’ve been lucky to raise a lot with these attributes.

What was one thing a committee did this year that you appreciated the most?
Bruce! For giving us fast, fair, even, consistent rodeo ground through out the entire rodeo.  Bravo!

Who is your inspiration or mentor and why?
I really look up to some of my friends that were successful in their younger days, mainly Janet Moen (as mentioned) and Raylee Edwards.  They are a wealth of knowledge and always willing to give me any tip that I need to be better or help my horses. 

If I were to chose any barrel racer in the world that I aspire to be like, its Sherry Cervi.  Such a talented horse woman, a perfect rider, yet she’s down to earth, kind and supportive of our youth.  Makes her a true Champion in my eyes.

What is your advice for someone who wants to take a shot at making the Canadian Finals Rodeo?
Buy a card, enter and be prepared to be beat, and be okay with that.  If you haven’t learned to be a good loser, you won’t be prepared to be a winner.  And DON’T QUIT TOO SOON!!!!

I have to thank my family for helping me with absolutely everything that it took to make my first CFR qualification become a reality.  Thanks so much to everyone for the words of encouragement throughout the season.  So many messages, people following the standings, and cheering for me.  I think there is so much power in positive thinking, and I thank each and everyone of you that believed that I could accomplish this.  Thanks to Aaron and my friends that encouraged me to hang onto “ Moolah” and enjoy the ride myself.

I appreciate that the XLR8 Equine Canada folks have believed in since before the rodeo season really started, and I am happy to endorse their products, because I truly believe in them – so thank you Sam Smith!

Many thanks to Toni Dixon for being a great director, and representing all of us all so well.  We appreciate it.

Thank you to all of the committee’s that love to make it a horse race for all of us. We recognize your efforts and we are so grateful.

Thanks so much Cassie.  I love your high-lights.  We are so lucky to have you in our industry.