About 3,500 people attended the 66th annual Water Valley Stampede rodeo last week, with guests and competitors alike enjoying dry and hot conditions.
Held May 31 to June 2, the rodeo saw a qualified score in the bull riding event for the first time in several years, as well as good results in all other events.
Longtime rodeo association president Chris Montgomery called the whole weekend a hit.
“We had a terrific event with great attendance,” said Montgomery. “And we had some great weather. There was virtually no smoke all weekend, which was really odd. East of the rodeo grounds it was terribly smoky Friday and Saturday, but for whatever reason we didn’t have any smoke.
“There was super good competition throughout. We finally got a winner in our open bull riding. The bulls bucked the cowboys off for the last four years and this year we finally had a winner.”
Montgomery was happy to report that there were no serious injuries to competitors or animals at this year’s rodeo.
“That’s all good,” he said.
Unofficial winning results of the rodeo include the following:
• Wild pony race - Billy Van Maarion, Riley Kelly, Colby Reid of Cremona
• Wild cow milking - Darrin Tracey of Strathmore
• Wild horse race - Jason Loken
• Novice horse riding - Sawyer Eirikson of Okotoks, with 71 score
• Calf roping - Aaron Mosick of Warburg, with 9.7-second score
• Bareback - Tanner Young of Eckville, with 79 score
• Saddle bronc - Joel Waddell of Crossfield, with 71 score
• Junior steer riding - Bailey Schellenberg of Cochrane and Beau Gardner of Arrowwood, with tied 69 scores.
• Steer wrestling - Carter McIntyre of Sundre, with 4.7-second time
• Ladies' breakaway roping - Jena Shearer of Warner, with 2.3-second time
• Junior bull riding - Justin Maguire, Siksika, with 68 score
• Junior breakaway roping - Coy Skocdopole of Big Valley with 2.1-second time
• Ladies' barrel race - Makenna Moore with 16.691-second time
• Junior barrel race - Kayce Liptak of Taber, with 17.096-second time
• Pee Wee barrels - Alley Bueckert of Okotoks, with 17.707-second time
• Team roping - Mike Miller, Milk River and Chase Kellett of Butte, with 7.0 time
• Bull riding - Tanner Eno of Coronation, with 72 score
