With the Sundre Pro Rodeo’s 40th anniversary milestone just months away, organizers aim to make the annual event a memorable one.
“We’re five months away from rodeo -- it doesn’t seem like it,” said rodeo association vice-president Jim Bowhay, during a presentation to council at the Jan. 21 meeting.
“This is our 40th year, so we’re really excited about that and putting a little more effort into everything,” he said.
The Sundre Rodeo and Race Association’s committee recognizes the need to do a better job of sharing its story, said Bowhay, who was also accompanied by Scott Smith, an association director.
The committee sought council’s consideration in negotiating a new long-term street banner contract, a waiver on the arena’s rental fee for the cowboy cabaret, council’s participation in the parade, and a platinum sponsorship of $5,000 or more. It's also asking for a timely review of the association’s proposed capital projects that require permit approval so work can begin sooner rather than later, said Smith.
Additionally, the committee requested council waive the enhanced policing fee for the event and to provide a new municipal flag to fly in the infield, he said.
“We know that you can’t provide answers for this tonight, but we would really appreciate it if you would consider some of these things,” he said.
The Sundre Pro Rodeo has grown over the years and is considered to be among the top professional rodeos in Western Canada. It draws top talent from throughout the country and around the world who come to compete for an opportunity to win a slice of the available $50,000 in prize money, he said, adding corporate and community support raised more than $150,000 in sponsorships last year.
Following the presentation, council carried a motion to accept the report for information. Mayor Terry Leslie said the requests will first go through administration before being brought back for any final decisions.
This year’s rodeo is scheduled for June 21-23.
Local businesses benefit
Although the association does not have specific numbers in terms of the local economic spinoff, Bowhay said the Sundre business community benefits substantially from having so many people come to town for the weekend.
Additionally, he said many who had been to Sundre before have turned into return visitors as well as ambassadors who share their experiences with others, he said.
“We truly believe in supporting our local businesses,” said Smith, adding every effort is made to buy and rent local when possible.
Last year, the association spent $19,000 locally on equipment rentals, another $4,500 on accommodations for contract acts, announcers and VIPs, with an additional $45,000 spent on food and alcohol plus about $1,500 to purchase feed for livestock, he said.
“We felt it was important that you see the numbers of the money that we are spending here in this community,” he said.
“The rodeo is a lot more expensive than people realize,” said Bowhay, adding the event would not be possible without sponsorships.
“In celebration of the 40th anniversary, the committee is looking to attract new sponsors and hopes to increase the overall sponsorship to offset the costs that we’re looking at,” he said, adding last year’s rodeo racked up a tab of about $440,000.
The not-for-profit organization also wants to improve and solidify its partnership with council, as well as to express gratitude for the support received in previous years, he said.
Above and beyond the core committee, there are about 100 volunteers who pitch in a tremendous number of hours to help make the rodeo possible, said Smith.
“We consider ourselves extremely fortunate to have such a strong committee group,” he said.
A brief history and look ahead
Providing some historical background, Bowhay said the earliest rodeos held in the Sundre area date back to 1909. However, the professional rodeo the community knows today first started in 1979.
Since then, the event has been considered a pro rodeo under the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association, the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, and most recently the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association, he added.
“So it’s a triple-sanctioned rodeo,” he said.
“The guest buckles that the Sundre rodeo hands out, everybody’s shooting for them around the world…they want a Sundre buckle. It’s really something.”
The committee’s mission is to produce, promote and present a professional rodeo for the Sundre community with the utmost safety for the people and animals involved, as well as to continually strive to improve and upgrade the rodeo grounds and facilities while preserving western heritage, said Smith.
“Due to the significance of the 40th anniversary, we have some extra special events that are being planned,” said Bowhay.
That includes two nights of fireworks displays, numerous contract acts such as trick riders, the Canadian Indian Relay Race, as well as a return appearance by Dennis Halstead, a seven-time pro rodeo entertainer of the year clown, he said.
“Further to that, we’ve got some capital plans that we’re hoping to initiate this year,” added Smith.
Among the projects currently under the committee’s consideration is to replace the aging wooden grandstand on the south side of the infield, he said.
“It’s pretty dated. It’s got a lot of rot in it and we have some concern that it could become a liability.”
Additionally, the committee hopes to construct a new timber frame building that would be on the east side in the VIP section, he said.
“That would replace our whiskey tent, which we’ve had for a number of years,” he said, adding the tent has capacity limitations and functional restrictions.
The capital projects are planned for the spring, subject to budgeting, completion of engineer drawings as well as permits from the municipality, he said.
More than just rodeo grounds
The grounds are not just home to the pro rodeo, said Bowhay.
“A lot of people think it’s just a rodeo ground and nothing else happens there. But we welcome all other kinds of users to the facility,” he said.
The grounds cater to a variety of organizations and events such as the Sundre Super Six which over the span of three days draws out hundreds of team ropers. It's also host to barrel racing, high school rodeo finals, the local Jackrabbit ski program run by the Sundre Bike ’n Ski Club and has also increasingly become a destination for weddings and family reunions, he said.
Last year, the site hosted the EnBridge Ride to Conquer Cancer and potentially could again this year, he added.
“We were really honoured to be chosen to host that event. They were thrilled with the grounds,” said Smith, adding factors beyond anyone’s control — namely smoke from forest fires — led to the cancellation of the ride.
“But we’re excited about the possibility of them coming back. They’ve expressed to us that they really love our venue.”
Additionally, the RCMP has in the past hosted drive-in movie nights on the back of the grandstand, Bulls and Wagons continues to use the grounds along with the introduction of the Model T racers, and off-highway vehicle safety clinics are also held at the site, which can even serve as an overflow parking area when required, said Bowhay.
“We want you to be aware that it’s not just exclusive to the rodeo, or the rodeo committee,” said Smith.
“We want other groups to take advantage of it. We’re proud of the facilities and we think it has a lot to offer for different groups.”
Pro rodeo a community event
The Sundre Pro Rodeo has also won the Mountain View Gazette Readers' Choice award in the fair/rodeo category for eight out of the last nine years, said Smith.
The rodeo association strives to work with and encourage local businesses to get involved by inviting staff to dress Western as well as to decorate and paint storefronts and to prepare parade floats, he said.
“We want it to be a celebration for the entire town.”
Coun. Paul Isaac commented that some people might not fully grasp the extent of the impact the rodeo has on Sundre.
“It is an event that uses hundreds of volunteers to produce something that is actually very, very impressive,” said Isaac, who is among the many volunteers to lend a hand.
“I’m at the back and I park the cowboys and the stock,” he said.
“The most comical time I had at the back was, I recognized this one vehicle that comes in from the States, and before I could say to them, ‘Hey, you’re back’ the window opened up and this one guy says to me, ‘Hey, you’re back.’”
The cowboy did not so much recognize Isaac as much as he recognized “that awful, ugly hat,” he said, conjuring up laughter.
