OLDS — Local resident Koaltyn Ogilvie, 13, came home from the Junior World Finals in Las Vegas recently as reserve bareback champion and finished just two points shy of being named junior world champion.
Ogilvie received two buckles: one for being reserve champion and one for winning round 1. He also earned $1,400 Canadian.
“I was surprised at first,” he said during an interview. “(Now) I feel really good about it.”
Ogilvie qualified for that trip to Vegas while competing as a member of the Crooked Horn Rodeo Association.
He was one of two Albertans to qualify. The other kid is from Grimshaw, near Grande Prairie.
Ogilvie says he competed against about 15 other boys in his age group.
Koaltyn’s dad, Robert Ogilvie, is very proud of his son’s achievement. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to make the trip down there to see his son in action.
Robert noted that his son also did well in hockey as a goaltender and has played baseball too. However, he quit hockey to devote his efforts to rodeo.
“It's something that he wanted to do so we let him try it. And it doesn't matter, he just seems to be (good), whatever sport he takes on,” Robert said.
“Anything sports-related he was involved in he excelled in it. So yeah, he's a talented young man.”
Both Robert and Koaltyn say none of his relatives are or have been in rodeo.
“I just thought it was pretty cool,” Colton said, adding he has friends who are doing rodeo.
Koaltyn likes bareback but he also likes bull riding. In the future he would like to do more of that.
After high school, Koaltyn would like to get into the college rodeo circuit.
