Schreiner at the line with a new teammate

By Ryan McCracken on July 26, 2018.

rmccracken@medicinehatnews.com @MHNMcCracken

There’s no place like home to turn the season around.

While the Gas City’s Kevin Schreiner admits he hasn’t had the strongest start to the 2018 team roping season, he’s excited to change that tonight at the Medicine Hat Exhibition and Stampede Rodeo.

“It’s really good to turn it around in front of your home crowd. You’ve got everybody rooting for you,” said Schreiner. “We’ve got time to make up for it so we’ll be all right.”

Schreiner is coming off a local victory at the Broncs and Honky Tonks indoor spring rodeo in April, but he picked up that buckle alongside fellow Hat product Braidy Davies. Tonight, Schreiner will hit the dirt with Swift Current newcomer Tee McLeod for the first time together, but he’s confident the riding rodeo star will make his mark in Medicine Hat.

“He’s a young kid with a ton of talent and we’re going to just go to a couple and see how it goes, maybe set things up for next year,” said Schreiner. “This will be our first rodeo that we’ll go to.”

Schreiner and McLeod will be facing some steep competition however, as fellow Hatter Trent Tunke is coming off a big victory at last weekend’s Manitoba Stampede. While there’s always a healthy dose of competition in the chutes, Schreiner says they’ll likely end up cheering each other on throughout the week.

“There’s always a little bit of competitiveness with everyone, but we’re all really good friends and we root for each other no matter what,” he said.

Schreiner added he’s been building on that sense of community by starting up Short Go Productions — which hosts roping events through Alberta, B.C. and Manitoba. Schreiner opened the production company alongside his wife, Kara, and friend, Chad Kurtz, and says he’s been amazed by the support and interest it’s been able to build over the past year.

“It’s doing really well,” he said. “We started it last spring and it’s been amazing. We’ve had great support and the roping has been growing each year.”

Schreiner and Tunke aren’t the only Hatters who will hit the dirt at the Stampede rodeo this week. Tie down roper Tyler Popescul will make his appearance in Friday’s performance, while Chelsea Carlier and Melissa Resch will compete in ladies barrel racing at this morning’s 8:30 a.m. slack performance.

Tonight’s performance kicks off at 5 p.m., while Friday’s is set for 8 p.m. and Saturday’s is slated for 1:30 p.m.