SUNDRE — A successful fundraiser will facilitate a former local rodeo queen’s bid for the national title.
Jayden Calvert, who was crowned Miss Rodeo Sundre in 2018, is in Red Deer this week for the Canadian Finals Rodeo, which in part culminates in the eventual naming of Miss Rodeo Canada this Friday, Nov. 5.
As the local annual fashion show fundraiser could not proceed in-person this year due to public health protocols, organizers were forced to adapt to an online silent auction, which ran Oct. 12-19.
“It was a Facebook event,” said Alisa Brace, Miss Rodeo Sundre pageant coordinator, adding photos with information about the 48 items donated by local groups and businesses were posted on the page so people could bid in the comment section.
“We unfortunately had no choice this year but to utilize that (online format),” said Brace during an Oct. 22 interview.
“For raising funds, it still worked. It just didn’t have that same effect that we had kind of hoped for for Jayden."
Herself a former Miss Rodeo Sundre queen who was crowned in 2017, Brace said past fall fashion show fundraisers provide more of a social opportunity.
While grateful for the ability to connect digitally, it’s just not quite the same as getting people together, she said.
But all things being considered under the difficult circumstances, Brace was pleased with how the silent auction panned out.
“Lots of great items were donated, which was awesome,” she said.
The two items that raised the most were a mid-sized smoker that brought in $300 as well as an air-fryer that started a bit of a bidding war with 17 people expressing interest and eventually going for $245.
Among the other items were some hockey and CFR tickets, as well as apparel and gift certificates, she said, conveying pride in the community’s support.
“I was impressed with how the fundraiser did and how everyone came together to support her,” she said. “We were able to raise a really great amount of money considering it was an online event and it was during all of this craziness in the world.”
Overall, the auction raised about $5,000, which Calvert described as incredible.
Expressing her appreciation for everyone’s support, Calvert told The Albertan that, “Running for Miss Rodeo Canada has always been a dream of mine.”
In fact, just being named a rodeo queen in general has always been on her list of things to accomplish.
“I was so grateful when I was able to be crowned Miss Rodeo Sundre back in 2018,” she said. “Now, I’m just so proud that I’m able to bring the Miss Rodeo Sundre title with me to Miss Rodeo Canada to compete for that honour.”
The week ahead to determine who will be named Miss Rodeo Canada 2022 will include a variety of competitions, such as horsemanship, public speaking, a written exam about rodeo knowledge and the CFR’s history, as well as a fashion show, she said.
“It’s a fashion show for the Ladies of Canadian Professional Rodeo,” she said, adding it also serves as a fundraiser for the Canadian Pro Rodeo Sport Medicine Team as well as the Cowboy Benefit Fund.
Helping to make her bid for the national title possible was the community’s support, she said.
“I am overwhelmed by the amount of support from my family and friends,” she said, also praising the Miss Rodeo Sundre committee as well as the Sundre Rodeo and Race Association.
“The entire community of Sundre really came together to help make sure that that silent auction was a success," she said.
While rodeo royalty comes with its share of pomp and glamour, there is far more to being crowned queen than just looking good.
“As Miss Rodeo Canada, I would be the spokesperson for Canadian Professional Rodeo,” said Calvert when asked her thoughts on the importance of the role.
That provides an opportunity for the titleholder to be in a position to educate rodeo fans, especially those who might not know much about the sport and western way of life, she said.
“It’s really important to me to support Jayden as she heads into this,” said Brace, who also ran for the national title in 2019.
“It feels like a lifetime ago because of 2020 being what it was. But it wasn’t that long ago that it was me that was getting into this and getting ready to go to the competition."
She added that not only the financial boost but especially the support of family, friends and the community makes all the difference the world.
“I knew that no matter the outcome of the competition, that there would be people still in my corner, and people that would support me regardless of how everything went,” she said.
Asked what she most enjoyed about being crowned Miss Rodeo 2017, Brace cited the entire experience as a whole.
Getting the opportunity to travel to rodeos, meet people as well as make new connections and building a bigger rodeo family all while representing her town and the Sundre Pro Rodeo, was its own reward, she said.
“So, being able to step in and now be the coordinator and do for someone else what was done for me, it’s just kind of come full circle and I’ve really enjoyed that part of it,” she said.
Prior to becoming Miss Rodeo Sundre, Brace described herself as a person who was more timid with an underdeveloped ability to carry a conversation or speak publicly, and she attributes her success in life to date largely to that experience.
“Being Miss Rodeo Sundre was a huge pivotal moment in my life,” she said, adding she was able to gain important life skills that helped her ace an interview that earned her a position at Olds College working as an instructional assistant in the animal health technician course.
“There’s many, many good things about the program, and good things that can come out of this title," she said.
