SUNDRE – The stakes – or perhaps steaks? – are higher than ever with the Sundre Pro Rodeo anteing up this year’s prize money, along the way enticing a larger-than-average number of international contenders.
Following last year’s decision to partner up with the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association-sanctioned SMS Equipment Pro Tour circuit after being extended an invitation to join, the Sundre Rodeo & Race Association was pleased to announce the Sundre Pro Rodeo is moving even higher up into the upper echelons of pro rodeos in the country.
Among the benefits of joining the SMS tour is that pro rodeos that are part of the circuit get live-streamed through a website called florodeo.com, which by extension generates far greater exposure not only for sponsors but also the rodeo as well as the town itself.
Signing on to be a part of the circuit also meant securing some additional funding to ante up the prize money offered per event to $8,000 from the prior $6,000.
Overall, there is about $76,125 of payout cash prizes for this year’s rodeo, which according to the municipality’s department of economic development is estimated to throughout the weekend generate some $2 million of spin-off spending within the community.
“We’re really excited about it,” Shane Crouch, association president, said on Saturday, June 10 at the Wild Horse Saloon during an interview amid an appreciation barbecue to show sponsors around the grounds.
“It’s going to be a great partnership we think,” said Crouch, who for a few moments took a break from serving drinks and chatting with people to speak with Albertan.
“It’s sure increased our (number of) contestants that we’ve got coming this year. We’ve got the highest amount of contestants I think we’ve probably had in 15 years,” he said.
“I’m ecstatic about our draw this year,” he said.
“We’re pushing 600 contestants this year,” he said, adding they all tend to come along with supporters who travel with them.
Citing a few examples, he said there are nearly 170 registered barrels racers, which he described as “astronomical.”
“Last year was our biggest year, and we had 120,” he said about the barrel racers. “We got 169 coming this year. It’s huge.”
Other events including calf roping and steer wrestling also have about two dozen more competitors registered than average, he said, adding there is going to be a great contingent of international talent coming from places such as Australia, Mexico and the U.S.
“We’re going to have a really big overflow on Friday morning!” he said with laugh when asked how they’d get through so many contenders in just one weekend.
While there’s an overflow ever year, this one is expected to be much bigger. Crouch largely attributed the higher anticipated turnout to the greater appeal of the increased prize money.
The rodeo runs Friday to Sunday, June 23-25, with the annual pancake breakfast set for the morning of Saturday, June 24 followed by the community parade.
A new contract act is also lined up to deliver some next level professional rodeo entertainment, with Shelby Pierson and Piper Yule of Full Throttle Trick Riding demonstrating an impressive balancing act in motion on horseback.
Entertainment is lined upon both Friday and Saturday nights with Allen Christie and Riley Tubbs performing June 23 at Wild Horse Saloon, while Foxx Worthee will be headlining the cowboy cabaret on Saturday at the arena on a covered outdoor stage.
Visit www.sundrerodeo.com for more information including a complete itinerary of the weekend’s scheduled events.
Looking ahead to next year, the rodeo and race association is already developing plans to expand the VIP seating section.
“We’re getting so many sponsors, we’re just almost running out of room for our sponsors to be able to sit and enjoy the rodeo,” said Crouch, adding there is seating available but that the rodeo seems to be getting bigger and that organizers want to more comfortably accommodate the sponsors.
“We’re looking at expanding our VIP grandstand and maybe moving our announcer’s booth in there,” he said, adding the project could run up a total cost of around $350,000.
“That’s kind of our big plan there,” he said, adding the association is looking to apply for matching 50-50 grant funds through the federal government’s Community Facility Enhancement Program.
“That’s our goal for next year,” he said.
Otherwise, aside from clearing some trees from the northwest corner of the grounds in the lead-up to this year’s rodeo to create more parking for this year’s huge haul of contenders, their supporters as well as spectators, there are no major undertakings this year.
While the volunteers and spectators are a critical part of the equation, the pro rodeo would not be possible without the invaluable contribution of sponsors.
“We’re very fortunate in this little town that we get so much of that,” Crouch said about the long list of sponsors, adding he hopes rodeo fans come out to pack the stands this weekend.
