Clay Elliot rides Kesler's Gone Country during the Broncs and Honky Tonks Indoor Spring Rodeo on April 5, 2019 at the Cypress Centre.--NEWS FILE PHOTO
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
Medicine Hat Exhibition & Stampede general manager Ron Edwards is excited for this weekend’s rodeo.
The Stampede grounds field house will play host to the annual Broncs and Honky Tonks indoor spring rodeo.
We’re very excited,” Edwards told the News. “It’s all coming together, we’re all set up. We’re ready for the spectators, the contestants and the rodeo stock. We’re ready.”
This year’s spring rodeo is partnered with Medicine Hat’s Chamber of Commerce, which will be hosting a Southeast Alberta Home and Leisure trade show alongside the rodeo. Edwards said they’re looking forward to offering options for people on their weekend.
“Spectators can come and go to the trade show and then they can come get some tickets and go to the rodeo,” Edwards said. “I know it’s gonna be a very busy weekend for everybody, so we’re ready. We have a pretty big parking lot, hopefully it’ll be full.”
The rodeo gets underway Friday night at 7 p.m. at the field house. Saturday’s competition also gets started at 7 p.m., and Sunday, the final day, goes at 1:30 p.m.
Friday night is military night, set up to honour military members. Saturday will be the crowning of the little princess for a year, a lot of the same events rodeo fans of Medicine Hat have come to enjoy Edwards said.
As for the competitions, Edwards said there’s going to be a lot of good Canadian content available all weekend for rodeo fans.
“A lot of the boys that were across the line are back up for this rodeo, and a lot of the Canadian boys,” Edwards said. “I do know that some of our Canadian boys are back up here for this rodeo for sure that were down in the U.S. this winter.”
For those who may be attending their first rodeo this weekend, the seven events in action over are: bareback, steer wrestling, tie-down roping, ladies bale racing, bull riding, battle broncs, junior steer riding and team roping.
Tickets can still be purchased on the MH Exhibition & Stampede’s website, or by visiting the Stampede office, with daily passes running $25 a ticket or $60 for a rodeo package weekend pass.
This weekend’s rodeo is the kicking off point for the Stampede season, with the WPCA Chuckwagon races coming to town June 16-19 and the Summer Pro Rodeo running July 28-30.
The Summer Pro Rodeo runs the same weekend as Trace Adkins, Medicine Hat’s own Mackenzie Porter and The Beach Boys bring their vocal talents to the grandstand.
Edwards said they’re all excited at Medicine Hat Exhibition & Stampede for not only this weekend but to get the summer rodeo season started.
“We’re excited, our staff is excited to get it happening,” Edwards said. “Our board of directors and our shareholders are excited, we have all our committees gearing up for this rodeo as well as the whole summer. Chuckwagons coming in June, that’s another big event for us, and we are gearing up. Everybody’s excited.”
