Go wild, go west!
The Sundre rodeo grounds are expected to be full this weekend with several events planned for the 35th annual Sundre Pro Rodeo.
There will be a few changes to this year's event to mark the 35th anniversary, according to Scott Smith, president of the Sundre Rodeo and Race Association.
“We've upped our purse to $5,000 per event. We had been at $4,000, so we've gone to $5,000 this year in hopes of attracting better cowboys and cowgirls,” Smith told the Round Up.
As well, two sub stock contractors have been added to the three-day-long event. Franklin Rodeo Company is the primary stock contractor, with Calgary Stampede and Barcee Five as sub stock contractors.
“We're pretty excited that we're going to get a really deep pool of rodeo stock,” he said.
The association spent more money on the fireworks display this year to celebrate the 35th anniversary. As well, there will be a special performance by Young Gunz during the Friday evening performance.
“This year we're also doing something a little different with our mutton bustin'. It's kind of a shootout format whereby all the mutton busters are out at the same time,” he explained.
“And the idea behind that is we're going to have three performances Friday, two on Saturday and then a finals. So we're hoping that we're going to get the top two mutton busters from each of the performances and then they're going to ride off on Sunday for the finals.”
He said mutton bustin' has always been a popular rodeo event.
The weekend will kick off with the slack performance at 9 a.m. Friday. Then the annual BS bingo will be held at 6 p.m.
“We cut the grass in front of the west side of the grandstands and we put a bull into a pen and people buy the squares and wherever the bull poops, that is the winner,” he said.
Last year the rodeo was postponed for the first time in history. It was held in August, as a result of overland flooding in June. The midway contractor had another commitment that weekend, so the rodeo went on without a midway.
The decision to postpone the rodeo was a “tough decision to make”, but it was the “right decision to make”, he said.
But he is optimistic that this year will be a good year.
“We're just trying to make it bigger and better this year. Our real goal and objective this year is to continue to try and raise the bar in terms of the overall production of the rodeo,” he said.
Also, as part of the 35th anniversary, the committee is giving away $35,000. There was five $1,000 early bird draws before rodeo weekend, and $30,000 will be given out during the Sunday performance, he said.
“We have a really strong entry this year. We're pretty excited. We've got some really good American and Canadian past and current world champions,” he said.
A total of four performances over the span of the weekend include bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping, saddle bronc riding, tie down roping, barrel racing and bull riding.
The performances also include novice saddle bronc, novice bareback, junior steer riding and mutton bustin' for children.
Tickets are available at the rodeo grounds entrance at any time during the weekend and general admission is $20.
The first performance begins Friday at 6:30 p.m., where people are asked to wear red to support the Canadian troops. The fireworks display will be at dusk. Friday is family day, so families get in at a good rate.
The rodeo royalty will be crowned on Friday. Miss Rodeo Sundre 2013 Cayley Martyn and Miss Rodeo Sundre Princess 2013 Mackenzie Henn are handing over their titles. There are five candidates for the 2014 titles, including Mackenzie Argent, Carly Carrier, Jessica Craig, Kyla Williams and Desirae Jackson.
People are asked to wear pink on Saturday to support cancer awareness. At 7 a.m., the annual free pancake breakfast, sponsored by Mennear Foods, will take place at the Sobeys parking lot until 10 a.m.
The rodeo parade, hosted by the Sundre Chamber of Commerce, will begin at 10 a.m. and is expected to take two hours. The parade will be a little different this year to celebrate the 35th anniversary. One of the floats will include past rodeo queens.
The second rodeo performance of the weekend will begin at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, with the third performance beginning at 7 p.m. A cabaret will follow at the Sundre Arena and tickets are available at the door for $10 per person.
On Sunday, the last rodeo performance of the weekend begins at 12:30 p.m., bringing the rodeo weekend to an end.
The rodeo association has a volunteer-based committee that meets monthly throughout the year to plan the big weekend for Sundre. There are also people who volunteer during the rodeo weekend. The association currently has 38 active members and is always looking to welcome more.
The performers compete for points and prize money that is raised by the committee. Typically the competitors start at the High River pro rodeo, head to Sundre's pro rodeo, and then to Wainwright's pro rodeo.
“It's people buying tickets and it's the good sponsors in the Sundre area that help us fund the rodeo,” he said.
The weekend also brings a carnival, with rides, games and food concessions for guests. There is free RV camping on the rodeo grounds for the duration of the weekend.
“We feel that there is a really good value in promoting and having the Sundre Pro Rodeo. We feel that it brings a lot of people that have perhaps not been to Sundre in the past,” he said.
“Those people come and will hopefully eat in the restaurants, shop in some of the retailer stores, fill up their vehicles. And ultimately we hope that they're going to return to Sundre because our goal is not only to put on a good rodeo, but it's to promote the town of Sundre.”
The committee had a collector's edition commemorative poster published to celebrate the 35th anniversary. It will be for sale for $20 and it has all of the past years' rodeo posters on it.
“It's a unique poster and we're pretty proud of it.”
