Rodeo News inducted to Hall of Fame in front of Stampede crowd Saturday

By Ryan McCracken on July 30, 2018.

rmccracken@medicinehatnews.com @MHNMcCracken

Fans in attendance at the Medicine Hat Exhibition and Stampede rodeo Saturday got to witness a chapter in the history of the sport with the induction of saddle bronc Rodeo News into the Canadian Professional Rodeo Hall of Fame.

Rodeo News made a name for himself as one of the circuits meanest broncs the 1960s and 70s had to offer. The 1,400-pound stallion made several trips to the National Finals Rodeo, as well as a number of stops right here in the Gas City.

“All the great bronc riders that tried him, most of them hit the ground often,” said Canadian Professional Rodeo Hall of Fame board member Jerry Sinclair, who presented the induction to Liz Kesler of Kesler Rodeo Sunday. “Inductees get the choice of the rodeo they want to be inducted at and this was Liz’s choice. After all, (the Keslers) have contracted the rodeo here since the mid-40s. There’s a long history between the Kesler family and the Medicine Hat Stampede. We were just honoured to come here and make the presentation.”

TheCanadian Professional Rodeo Hall of Fame inducts just one animal each year. While Rodeo News’s glory days are long since past, his efforts in the arena were immortalized Saturday.

“It could be a barrel horse, it could be a bucking horse, it could be a bucking bull. An animal that’s been outstanding in the rodeo arena,” said Sinclair, adding Rodeo News always made cowboys work for a score. “He was exposed to every top bronc rider in the world. Canadian champions, world champions, it didn’t matter to him, he threw them off. He wasn’t a nice horse to ride. Some of them horses are nice and easy to ride, well he wasn’t.”

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