Dust off your cowboy hat, boots and spurs – it’s time for the Airdrie Pro Rodeo (APR).
Airdrie’s annual pro rodeo showcase will run June 28 to July 1 at the Airdrie Rodeo Grounds, offering attendees a close-up look at some of the most talented cowboys and cowgirls from across North America.
“We have the champions – we have the Canadian champions and the U.S. cowboys coming,” said APR Marketing Co-ordinator Lorie Young. “We’re one of those rodeos where you’re close enough that you really get to see the cowboys in action.”
For hardcore rodeo fans, some of the most recognizable cowboys from Alberta will compete at APR this year, including Airdrie bareback rider Jake Vold, Cochrane steer wrestler Tanner Milan, Bashaw steer wrestler Cody Cassidy and Big Valley saddle bronc rider Zeke Thurston.
Young said the cowboys’ dedication to their craft is “phenomenal” and keeps the rodeo going.
“They compete against each other, and yet, they’re the first ones to help each other out,” she said. “They give each other hints and tips to do their best, [even though] they’re going out trying to beat each other.”
Now in its 53rd year, APR started as a way of celebrating Canada’s centenary with a western flair. Young said the yearly July-long-weekend event has grown tremendously.
“When we started back in 1967, it was a one-day rodeo,” she said. “It was kind of a gymkhana [equestrian] type rodeo, so it was just something to do over the July long weekend.”
More than five decades later, according to Young, the organizing committee now has more than 40 members. With the growth of the committee, the rodeo was extended to four or five days.
“It’s such a satisfaction knowing we can put on one of the biggest events in Airdrie with the amount of volunteers we have, the committee members and the dedication everyone puts in,” she said. “It’s such a rustic and warm feeling coming out here to the rodeo grounds and watching the professionals.”
Along with the traditional pro rodeo competition, the event now includes a junior rodeo, a bull-riding bonanza, an APR Princess contest, overnight camping, behind-the-scenes chute tours for first-time rodeo goers and live music.
This year, musical acts will take place nightly from June 28 to 30, including performances from Canadian country artists Donny Lee and Abbey Powell.
With more than 500 competitors and 10,000 attendees, APR is now one of the 10 largest rodeos in Canada, and takes place during a special time in the pro rodeo calendar – with the Calgary Stampede kicking off just a week later, APR acts as a warm-up event for participants who want to be at their best for the “Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.”
“We’re also a part of ‘Cowboy Christmas,’ so there are multiple rodeos going on the same weekend we’re running,” Young said. “Between Williams Lake, us and Ponoka, [the cowboys] are doing a circle.”
For those who plan on drinking at the event, a free shuttle service between Main Street Beer and BBQ in downtown Airdrie and the rodeo grounds west of the city will run regularly throughout the weekend. The service begins at 5 p.m. and runs until 2 a.m. June 28 to 30, and from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Canada Day.
Rodeo tickets cost $20 for adults, $15 for seniors and $15 for youths aged 11 to 17. Children under 11 get in free.
For more information, visit airdrieprorodeo.com
