The 44th annual Cochrane Lions Labour Day Rodeo will run from Sept. 3 to 5 at the Cochrane Rodeo Grounds. It marks the final event of the Foothills Cowboy Association’s (FCA) regular schedule and will feature daily performances scheduled for 1 p.m. each of the three days.
“Everything is going really good at this stage,” said Kevin Firkus, chairman of the Cochrane Lions Labour Day Rodeo. “It’s evolved to one of the top amateur rodeos in North America. And since it’s the last rodeo of the FCA, we get the top guys looking to make the finals.”
Richards Rodeo will be providing the stock, while rodeo payouts will be $1,000 for the major events, $400 for Junior Bull Riders and Boys Steer Riding, and $400 for the breakaway roping.
The rodeo format will see participants compete in their respective events on any of the three days, with those rides eligible for top spot, as there will be no final round.
Firkus said he has seen a huge growth in the event’s popularity in his 10 years of involvement, with an expected crowd of 3,500 to 4,000 for the three days, compared to around 1,200 when he started.
“It’s now one of the biggest weekends in Cochrane,” he said. “The whole town is involved. We’re also fortunate to have the rodeo grounds in the middle of town.”
Festivities will get underway with the Ranch Rodeo on Sept. 2, featuring real life cowboys from across Rocky View County, and the addition of a Wild Pony Race. The parade will also take place on Sept. 2.
“It’s the second largest parade in Canada behind the (Calgary) Stampede,” Firkus said.
There will be pancake breakfasts around town everyday, as well as vendors and a mini carnival on site. Cochrane Rodeo Royalty will be crowned during the Labour Day performance.
This year will also mark the first time the event will host an on-site dance. It will take place on Sept. 3 at 7 p.m. and feature a performance by country band T.C. & Company. Another new feature this year will be an enhanced social media presence, as organizers will update standings nightly on Twitter @cochranerodeo.
“We’re looking forward to it and hoping for good weather,” Firkus said. “We’re getting lots of entries and it sounds like we’ll have a record number. We have all the junior events and all the major events.”
