INNISFAIL – When the cowboy action began, Danny Daines could not be happier.
The rain from earlier in the day had stopped. The sun was poking out from the west. There was also a huge crowd forming at the legendary Daines Ranch.
And Daines’ old high school chum Jean Barclay, the current mayor of Innisfail, had officially opened the 62nd annual Daines Ranch Pro Rodeo on June 16.
“Jean Barclay is the best thing Innisfail has got right now. She’s carrying the torch for Innisfail,” said Daines, a member of the Daines rodeo organizing committee. “This is her home, and that’s why we wanted her out here.”
That was not all. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith also came to the opening night of 2023 Daines Rodeo, which pleased both Daines and his mayor pal.
In fact, Smith stopped for a brief hello and chat with the mayor.
The recently elected premier then told the Albertan she came to Innisfail to fulfill a promise she made to Michael Daines last summer at the Ponoka Stampede that if she won the UCP leadership she would come to the Daines rodeo.
And this was Smith’s first rodeo of the summer, and she's not concerned one bit if her office receives an avalanche of requests for her to come to dozens more across the province this summer.
“I sure hope I do. I love rodeo. I love Alberta summers. I got a lot of rodeos that I'm already planning on going to and this one really kicks off the season,” said Smith, who officially met with Barclay and town council members the following morning, and took the lead with Innisfail-Sylvan Lake MLA Devin Dreeshen in the annual Innisfail Rotary Pro Rodeo Parade. “I’m delighted to be here. It’s a wonderful community gathering too. It feels so close to all the action.
“I did a lot of rural travel last summer and then of course during the campaign,” added Smith. “This is my chance to reconnect with rural communities over the summer. I’m looking forward to it.”
As for the rodeo, Danny Daines was in high spirits right from the start.
He said his family is always trying to make the rodeo experience for sponsors and visitors better each year.
Daines said this year’s rodeo attracted about 600 cowboys and cowgirls, with about 10 to 15 per cent coming from the United States.
“It's mainly for the Canadians but the Americans like coming up here this time of the year,” said Daines. “They want to qualify for the Canadian Finals Rodeo. They have to compete in at least 15 rodeos up here to qualify.
“There's more money put up for the cowboys this year. We keep increasing the purse money in each event. That's what's important,” he added. “It's all for the cowboys and the cowgirls. It cost them a lot of money to go to the rodeo.”
And the great outdoor show for Innisfail and the area is critically important for the town as well.
“We've got this all weekend, and we know that people are going to be coming into our community,” said Barclay. “They're going to be going into the grocery stores, restaurants, bars and spending their money in town and just seeing what a beautiful community we have.
“And you never know who ends up moving here,” she added. “I always say what's good for the area is good for Innisfail.”
Below are the unofficial results released by the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association from the 2023 Daines Ranch Pro Rodeo held last weekend from June 16 to 18 at the Daines Ranch.
Bareback riding: 1. Dallas Hay, 86 points on C5 Rodeo’s 783 Kanins Pet, $1414.79; 2. Kody Lamb, 85, $1170.86; 3. Cole Goodine, 84.5, $926.94; 4. Spur Lacasse, 82.5, $683.00; 5. LJ Higgins, 81.5, $439.08; 6. Blake Link, 80, $243.93
Steer wrestling: 1. Coleman Kohorst, 3.4 seconds, $2009.26; 2. (tie) Coltin Crawford and Scott Guenthner, 3.8, $1730.18 each; 4. Caden Camp, 4.0, $1395.31; 5. Dallas Frank, 4.2, $1172.06; 6. Gavin Soileau, 4.3, $948.81; 7. Tanner Milan, 4.4, $725.56; 8. Landris White, 4.5, $613.94; 9. Craig Weisgerber, 4.6, $502.31; 10. (tie) Cody Cassidy, Layne Delemont and Jason Thomas, 4.7, $111.62
Team roping: 1. (tie) Clay Ullery/Jake Edwards and Jeremy Buhler/Rhen Richard, 4.3 seconds, $2209.29 each; 3. Brady Tryan/Calgary Smith, 4.4, $1857.09; 4. Brett McCaroll/Clint Buhler, 4.5, $1600.94; 5. Kash Bonnett/Trent Tunke, 5.5, $1344.79; 6. Denim Ross/Brett Buss, 6.2, $1088.35; 7. Chase Simpson/Travis Speer, 6.3, $832.48; 8. Kolton Johnson/Carson Johnson, 6.5, $704.41; 9. Brody Groves/Logan Groves, 9.0, $576.33; 10. Kolton Schmidt/Logan Spady, 10.2, $384.22
Saddle bronc riding: 1. Wyatt Casper, 87.5 points on C5 Rodeo’s -701 Black Jack, $2074.02; 2. Layton Green, 87, $1703.66; 3. Dawson Hay, 86, $1333.30; 4. Zeke Thurston, 85, $962.94; 5. Jake Clark, 83.5, $592.57; 6. Brodie Roessler, 81.5, $370.36; 7. Tyrel Roberts, 80, $222.21; 8. Houston Brown, 79, $148.14
Tie down roping: 1. Kyle Lucas, 8.2 seconds, $2745.74; 2. Jason Smith, 8.4, $2387.60; 3. Curtis Cassidy, 8.5, $2029.46; 4. Tyler Popescul, 8.6, $1671.32; 5. (tie) Ben Robinson and Clay Elliott, 9.2, $1134.11 each; 7. Aaron Mosicki and Stacy Cornet, 9.5, $417.83
Ladies barrel racing: 1. Traci MacDonald, 15.94 seconds, $3628.40; 2. Jayden Wilson, 15.97, $3084.14; 3. Lakota Bird, 15.98, $2539.88; 4. Nancy Leischner, 16.00, $2177.04; 5. Blake Molle, 16.09, 1814.20; 6. Vanessa Leggett, 16.11, $1269.94; 7. (tie) Dona Kay Rule and Brooke Wills, 16.15, 816.39; 9. Presley Smith, 16.17, $634.97; 10. Karli Cowie, 16.21, $544.26; 11. Jessa Galloway, 16.24, $453.55; 12. Rachel Warren, 16.25, $362.84
Bull riding: 1. Tyler Craig, 86.5 points on Vold Rodeo’s 502 By The Beach $1743.89; 2. Cauy Schmidt, 86, $1432.48; 3. Coy Robbins, 85.5, $1121.07; 4. Brock Radford, 83, $809.96; 5. Dakota Buttar, 80.5, $498.25 (no other qualified rides)
Ground money: $124.56 each
Breakaway roping: 1. (tie) Aubrey Ross and Cora Ann Borman, 2.1 seconds, $1845.27 each; 3. Caitlyn Dahm, 2.2, $1551.04; 4. (tie) Makayla Boisjoli and Alicia Bird, 2.4, $1230.18; 6. (tie) Jenna Dallyn, Lakota Bird, Darby Wilkinson and Celie Salmond, 2.5, $427.89; 10. (tie) Bailey Hines, Kayce Liptak and Jade Kenney, 2.6, $106.97
Overall payout: $97,538.20
