A record-breaking crowd of about 4,000 people turned out to see the 44th Cochrane Lions Labour Day Rodeo, which took place Sept. 3 to 5.
The rodeo doubled its attendance from last year and beat the overall attendance record by 1,500 thanks to mid-summer temperatures and new events.
“I thought the weekend was wonderful,” said Kevin Firkus, chairman of the Cochrane Lions Rodeo. “We had our biggest crowds ever and gorgeous weather.”
This year’s rodeo drew patrons from England and Australia and featured a new event that was directed for the younger cowboys and girls. The wild pony race included teams of three kids ages 14 and under trying to tame a wild pony and get a rider to stay on for a two-jump ride. Firkus said the event went over well.
“It’s great in the way that it involves kids in the age group between the sheep riding and the steer riding,” Firkus said. “We were trying to get that age group involved.”
A Saturday night concert, which featured the music of T.C. & Company, joined daily pancake breakfasts and the Labour Day parade as part of the festivities. The Cochrane Lions rodeo royalty pageant was featured during the intermission on the last day of the rodeo, which saw Kelsey Reinboldt-Lynch and Shannon Black, both of Calgary, crowned as the 2012 Queen and Princess. The presentation also featured nearly 15 visiting royalty from across Alberta (see related story on page 19).
Just before Reinboldt-Lynch and Black were crowned, the crowd was treated to the Triple Threat Trick Riders. The three riders, all under 12, displayed their acrobatic skills as they rode around the arena at breakneck speed on their horses.
“The crowd just loved them,” Firkus said. “They were definitely a highlight, and they had me a bit scared when they were hanging off their horse by their feet.”
While the entire weekend was a resounding success, Firkus said that the event would not have gone over as well without the help of the volunteers.
“The volunteers were unreal this year,” Firkus said.
“(The overall event) was fantastic, and we couldn’t have asked for anything better.”
Unofficial results:
• Saddle Bronc:
1. Marty Vernon – 75
2. Chane Harmon – 74
3. Calvin Heiland – 69
• Bareback:
1. Ky Marshall – 70
2. Ryley Gilbertson – 69
3. Tom Willemson – 68
• Bull Riding:
1. Karson Collins – 73
2. Keith Dougan – 65
• Calf Roping:
1. Clay Elliott – 8.7
2. Shawn Miller – 9.5
3. Ky Marshall – 9.6
• Steer Wrestling:
1. Lindsay Taylor – 5
2. Justin Miller – 5.9
3. Ben Juhasz – 6.2
• Ladies Barrel Racing:
1. Brook Robertson – 17.598
2. Bailey Hughson – 17.635
3. Rhonda Wolf-Wasylowich – 17.713
• Team Roping:
1. Lynch-McAllister – 6.3
2. Weston-Lucas – 6.5
3. Regehr-Robertson – 7.6
• Junior Barrel Racing:
1. Tara Wilkinson – 17.793
2. Eryn Coy – 17.890
3. Rayna Longeway – 18.112
• Steer Riding:
1. Cooper Zur – 76
2. Brian Symington – 74
3. Austin Nash – 73
• Novice Horse Riding:
1. Lane Stuckey – 60
2. Dylan Bilton – 54
• Junior Bull Riding:
1. Lonnie West – 74
2. Brant Jones – 72
3. Brandon Littlejohn – 69
• Breakaway Roping:
1. Sloan Smith – 2.2
2. Tara Wilkinson – 2.4
3. Lakota Bird – 2.5
