YOUNG TEAM ROPERS TURN UP THE HEAT AT GRIMSHAW AND LA CRETE
August 11, 2010

A couple of Alberta teenagers are shaking things up in the team roping event after they claimed first place at the Field of Dreams Stampede in La Crete, Alta. Eighteen-year-old Tyrell Gordon and header Kolton Schmidt, 16, roped their steer in 4.9 seconds for $2,200 on Aug. 10.

The young pair is drawing curiosity especially since it’s the second in a row they’ve claimed in the four-second range. Gordon (Ponoka) and Schmidt (Barrhead) won their event just two days after roping in first place at the North Peace Stampede in Grimshaw, Alta. They’re currently headed north for the 88th annual Dawson Creek Exhibition and Stampede, where they’re set to compete in the slack performance on Aug. 12.

The three-day rodeo officially gets underway on Aug. 13 and is the final stop on the Wrangler Canadian Professional Rodeo Tour before the Tour Finals at Armstrong, B.C. in September. It’s also the second year that Dawson Creek has been an official stop on the Tour and, according to Terry Cooke, President of the Dawson Creek Rope & Saddle Club, it’s increased both the numbers of spectators and contestants at the rodeo.

The performances at the “Greatest Show in the Peace” feature all six major rodeo events, as well as team roping, novice saddle bronc riding, novice bareback and steer riding. Each performance kicks off at 1:15 p.m. at the rodeo grounds at Collins Exhibition Park in Dawson Creek, B.C.