Two Sundre High School students recently participated in an event that claims the title of the world's largest rodeo.
Codi Wilson, who will be starting Grade 11 this fall, and Saige Jackson, who will be starting Grade 12, each competed in separate categories in the 68th annual National High School Finals Rodeo (NHSFR) held July 17-23 in Gillette, Wyo.
“It was like nothing else I've ever done. It was amazing,” said Wilson, calling the trip “an experience of a lifetime.”
The NHSFR featured more than 1,650 contestants from 43 states, five provinces as well as Australia. In addition to competing for more than $200,000 in prizes, contestants also had a chance to get a share of the more than $350,000 in college scholarships, according to a press release.
Wilson, who is from Bergen, qualified for the queen category while Jackson, who is from James River, competed in reined cow horse — also known as working cow horse — events.
“The queen is the ambassador for the sport of rodeo, and is the one who spends their reign serving as the representative for the sport of rodeo,” Wilson said.
“Queens are uniquely positioned to represent not only rodeo but ranching and the western lifestyle as well. The contestants in rodeo don't always have the time to be representatives for the sport as they're busy competing and moving on to the next rodeo. It's the queens who are available to meet the fans and make personal appearances to promote the sport.”
She competed against more than 40 queens in a variety of categories such as horsemanship, prepared speech, impromptu speech, personal interview, a written test based on rodeo rules and general knowledge of the sport, personality, appearance and modeling.
Wilson secured a spot at the NHSFR after competing in and winning the queen contest at the provincial high school rodeo finals in Grande Prairie early in June when she was crowned the 2016-17 Alberta High School Rodeo queen.
“I was then handed off the crown with the privilege of representing Alberta throughout this coming year, (as well as) attending many events such as the National High School Rodeo Finals,” she said.
During the two weeks Wilson spent in Gillette, Wyo., she got to participate in what she called a remarkable rodeo for children with special needs, read to youth at a library, meet a saddle maker who made a saddle she won, as well as enjoy activities like water fights and volleyball tournaments.
Along the way, she also got to meet dozens of other young women and compete alongside them while forging new friendships — Wilson said her friends' list on social media grew as a result of the trip.
“The whole experience was simply amazing,” she said.
“So it's hard to pick out the ‘best' parts. But I really enjoyed getting to meet so many people and being able to participate in so many events and activities that created memories that I will never forget.”
Wilson, who has been involved in high school rodeo since Grade 6, said rodeo has been a big part of her life growing up.
“Rodeo is a very unique sport and is something that I'm very passionate about as it has definitely become a way of life and a lifestyle for me,” she said.
“I've grown up on the rodeo trail, travelling from rodeo to rodeo getting to share the love of the sport with many friends and family. Rodeo is unique because it's a sport where everyone is competing against each other, but are also all cheering each other on at the same time. Rodeo is the only sport where you can compete at the same level as your mom, dad, brother, sister, uncle, cousins, and other family — no matter your age. It's very much a family sport.”
Jackson said she also had a great experience.
“It was definitely different and I would do it again in heartbeat for sure.”
Reined cow horse events are all done on horseback and involve reining patterns that include loping circles, lead changes and sliding stops as well as leading cows in specific directions. The main objective is to demonstrate skillful control over the animals, she said.
She only competed twice in Gillette and said she didn't have the best of luck with her horse Albert, who is eight years old.
“My horse and I are still a work in progress.”
However, winning on a horse trained by someone else will never be as satisfying as winning on a horse trained yourself, Jackson said.
Rodeo has always been of interest to the high school senior.
“I don't know if it's because of the adrenalin rush I get from it or if it's because I've always enjoyed horses.”
