Saddle Bronc rider Ben Andersen from Eckville, Alta. rides Miscrent during the final day of action of the 2024 Broncs & Honky Tonks Indoor Spring Rodeo at the Stampede grounds on Sunday.--NEWS PHOTO BRENDAN MILLER
bmiller@medicinehatnews.com
Two rodeo events over the weekend kicked off the Canadian Professional Rodeo 2024 rodeo season, including sold-out shows in Medicine Hat.
The 2024 Broncs & Honky Tonks Indoors Spring Rodeo at the Cypress Centre Fieldhouse on Stampede grounds filled the house Friday and Saturday night.
The three-day rodeo concluded Sunday afternoon with seven main events as well as junior steer wrestling and some of the best rodeo talent in North America.
“It’s one of the first rodeos of the season, says Ron Edwards, general manager with the Stampede. “We have a full contingent of rodeo cowboys. The seven events are mainly full and then we have the junior steer riding, which is more contestants than we’ve ever had as well.”
Several cowboys and cowgirls from the region took part in the rodeo including Medicine Hat’s Clark Hughson and Tyler Popescul who competed in the tie-down roping event where Popescul tied for a third-place finish.
Kate and Donna Beierback from Maple Creek competed in the ladies barrel racing event. The team roping event featured Clint Schreiner from the Hat and Devin Wigemyr from Brooks.
The total purse for each of the seven main events was $4,100 split between first-, second- and third-place riders.
“It’s been fantastic,” says Edwards. “Because we put on a hell of a product, a hell of a rodeo here. This is a pro rodeo. It’s one of the highest, CPRA and the PRC rodeo, and so what these patrons are seeing are the best stock and the best competitors.”
Along with Stampede staff, Edwards says more than 200 volunteers came together bring the rodeo to life at the Fieldhouse over the weekend.
Over a three-day period, crews were able to transform the facility from a soccer arena to an indoor rodeo show that included laying tons of dirts and setting up fences and bleachers.
Edwards says it’s a community driven rodeo that wouldn’t be possible without the community’s support.
“Staff has been phenomenal,” explains Edwards. “And our sponsors, we could not do these kinds of events with the great community sponsors we have.”
Over the week the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association also held its Spring Break-Up rodeo in Dawson Creek, B.C. This weekend the rodeo will be travelling to Taber and the Crowsnest Pass.
