OLDS — C5 Rodeo, which helps organize and provide animals for the Oldstoberfest rodeo in Olds has been named Stock Contractor of the Year by the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association (CPRA).
Year-end award winners were announced by the CPRA on Oct. 4.
“This is the first time we’ve ever received this award, so we’re extremely honoured. It’s really exciting. We have a really phenomenal group,” Oldstoberfest and C5 rodeo coordinator Gillian Grant said during an interview.
C5 Rodeo founder Vern McDonald picked up the award on behalf of the company.
“McDonald (along with his C5 Rodeo team) continues to make his mark producing outstanding rodeos on both sides of the 49th parallel,” a CPRA news release announcing the awards said.
"Vern has had a vision of making rodeo better and he’s built this team around him and has really put a lot into his breeding program,” Grant said.
"We’re just so excited about this award. It’s very prestigious and it’s a big honour because we have a crew that works really hard to make rodeo better.”
Grant said another aspect of the award that makes it humbling is that it is voted on by rodeo contestants themselves.
She said it validates the company’s efforts to build rodeo across the country and the U.S. border.
“That’s our goal, that’s our vision; is to just try and escalate rodeo as a sport and contribute to it and deliver the best shows possible. That’s kind of what we do,” she said. “More than just providing stock.”
