The 52nd annual Innisfail Daines Ranch Rodeo was held last week and over the weekend.
“Just like always I thought, and maybe even a notch above (was the) quality of cowboys and the stock,” said Duane Daines, speaking on behalf of his father and rodeo organizer, Jack Daines, on Monday morning.
Jack Daines broke his shoulder last Wednesday night at the rodeo grounds but waited until Monday for surgery so as not to miss the rodeo.
Duane Daines said despite the rain, the arena held up well.
“It's amazing how the arena held up with the footing,” he said. “It even shows in the times for the barrel race. There was money won in every performance, that means it stayed pretty consistent. It was a little sloppy with the rain and stuff like that but it stayed good anyway and that make a good rodeo.”
He said the top horses in North America were part of the rodeo June 14 to 17 and added that the bronc and bareback riding was exceptional.
“You can go all summer long and you won't see as good — just the way it worked out with the match-ups.”
Garrett Green of Meeting Creek, Alta. won the bull riding at the rodeo and said he was impressed with the event that typically offers some of the biggest winnings.
He's been bull riding for six years and when he spoke to the Province Sunday he was in the lead.
“It's the general rush I guess,” he said of what keeps him going. Green won on Risky Remedy. He got 87.5 points and won $6,452.16.
Other results include Kyle Thomson taking $5,792.28 back to Lundebreck, Alta., riding Lynx Mountain to an 87-point performance in saddle bronc and winning the all-around champion title.
Bezanson, Alta.'s Dusty Lavalley rode Special Delivery to an 89-point performance in bareback, winning $5,476.44.
Matt Reeves of Cross Plains, Texas won the steer wrestling event with a time of 5 seconds, winning $8,278.11.
Hailing from Sulphur, La., Shane Hanchey won the tie-down roping event with a time of 7.1 seconds. He's taking home $6,952.01.
Another Texan won the ladies barrel racing competition. Carlee Pierce of Stephenville took home $10,481 with a time of 15.67 seconds.
The pair of Dustin Bird from Cut Bank, Mont. and Paul Eaves of Millsap, Texas won the team-roping competition with a time of 4.4. They won $7,420.83.
Bird also won the high point.
Novice bareback was won by Calgary's Jacob Stemo. Layton Green of Meeting Creek won the novice saddle bronc event. Sangudo, Alta.'s Gunnar Fuchs won boys' steer riding.
The wild cow milking event was won by Carson Bowhay and Bruce Burrell, both of Sundre.
Fans braved the rain over the four-day event. Two first-time spectators, Shae Berreth and Lotte Bottenberg from Bowden came out to watch on the last day because they knew some people in the rodeo.
“It's been pretty entertaining,” said Berreth.
