The Airdrie Pro Rodeo is back next week and its president says it will be bigger and better than ever.
More than 600 contestants will compete for about $150,000 between June 29 and July 3 at the Airdrie Rodeo Ranch, in what will we be the event’s 43rd edition, says Rob Brietzke, president of the Airdrie Rodeo Ranch Association.
“Over the last six to eight years, every year it has grown bigger with more contestants, more spectators and our prize money has gone up,” said Brietzke, who is in his fourth year as the rodeo’s president.
“We’ve got really good talent in our local contestants and we’ve got the world’s best and Canada’s best cowboys and cowgirls. And for the first time ever, that I can recall, we’ve got American bull riders coming up this year, which is different. Usually they don’t come up for ours for some reason, but this year is going to be a bit of an anomaly.”
Last year, the Airdrie Pro Rodeo, a Canadian Professional Rodeo Association stop, was the largest in Canada by contestant entries, something Brietzke hopes to repeat.
“This year, I think we’re going to have 641, but that might change because of injuries or other conflicts,” he said.
“It’s a big rodeo with a small town feel and I think that’s really true to the Western heritage and the old-style rodeo. It’s one of the rodeos that everyone wants to come to, because it fits really well in with Ponoka (June 28-July 4) and Williams Lake, B.C. (July 1-4) and lot of people go to all three.”
Some of the local competitors will include Airdrie’s Jeff Robson, Duane Gervais, Geraldine Metcalfe, Carolyn Metcalfe, Jeffrey Quam, Cochrane’s Straws Milan, Tanner Milan, Baillie Milan, Val Nelson, Brooke Ramsey, Carlee Jo Edge, Steven Turner and Crossfield’s Kevin Taks.
“It’s always nice to see our locals and our Canadians doing very well,” Brietzke said. “The points that they gain by coming to these tour rodeos help them get to the tour finals, and from there they get opportunities to get to Canadian Finals Rodeo and the Calgary Stampede.”
Concerts will be featured after the rodeo action every night and the annual Canada Day parade and fireworks will also be part of the festivities.
“We’re really excited about the whole rodeo and as it gets closer and closer, you can real feel the excitement more and more,” Brietzke said. “Hopefully, we’ll get good weather for it and draw record crowds again.”
The rodeo gets underway with junior events at 5:30 p.m. June 29 and will conclude with the final round of the pro rodeo at 7 p.m., July 3.
More information on the Airdrie Pro Rodeo, including a full schedule, can be found at www.airdrieprorodeo.com, while a full list of the timed event draws is available at www.rodeocanada.com/draws10/airdrie10
