It’s safe to say that Riley Harvie had a good weekend competing at the Dodge Extreme Pro Rodeo. The 28-year-old cowboy from Priddis, Alta. competed in the saddle bronc and bull riding events at the two-day rodeo in Lethbridge, Alta., placed in both, and earned a cheque for each. Not bad for a guy that hasn’t rodeoed since last October.
“I’ve been training at home a little bit, but mostly I’ve just been working a lot. I ranch, and then I do business consulting as well,” he explained, noting with a laugh that it was the ranching, and not staring at a computer screen, that helped him stay fit over the winter.
During the March 27 saddle bronc riding, Harvie rode Kesler Championship Rodeo’s Colored Cash to a 72.5 and placed fourth in that event.
“I didn’t know much about the horse,” Harvie reflected. “I had heard from Jeremy Russell – he’d been on that horse last year, and Denver Daines got on the same horse at Medicine Hat – they both said he was okay, that he bucked, and that he had some moves to him, although it was kind of up in the air as to whether you could make any money on him.”
Turns out you could, and Harvie earned $221 for the effort.
In the bull riding, during the same performance, the 2002 Canadian novice saddle bronc champion challenged Tarzan, riding to an 83 for second place and an $846 cheque.
“What a great bull,” Harvie swooned. “It’s been a long time since I’ve really rode bulls. I got back a little bit last summer, but I was still kind of shaking the rust off. It felt pretty good to get back on a bull like that. Made a guy feel like a bull rider again.”
Harvie used to ride bulls in the amateur circuit, but decided to concentrate on bronc riding when he joined the ranks of the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association in 2003, and left bull riding behind.
“Style-wise, for me, the bull riding comes a lot more naturally, and bronc riding is something I’ve had to work on really hard and kind of perfect the style,” said Harvie, who recently graduated with a Masters degree in business from Texas Tech University. “I just really enjoy the competition aspect of it and love both events.”
He’s also planning to give steer wrestling a go.
“I took a steer wrestling school last January and I haven’t had much time to hit the practice pen yet, but I’m looking forward to doing that. I kind of want to try and take a run at the All-Around, either this season or next.”
But most of all, the enthusiastic competitor is just looking forward to a full rodeo season.
“Since pretty much the middle of 2004, I’ve had a string of bad luck injuries and other misfortunes along the way, and I’m also finally finished up with school now, so I’m looking forward to being back and having a full season and trying to make the Canadian Finals.”
Other contestants cashing in over the weekend include Justin Berg of Marwayne, Alta., who placed first in the bronc riding over the weekend. His 78.5 encounter with Hot Gossip earned him $884 towards his goal, while Jesse Torkelson’s 85-point tour on Commando shot the Winfield, Alta. bull rider into first place, and put $1,128 in his bank account. Reid Rowan of Seven Persons, Alta. took first in the bareback after his 75-point ride on Star Studded. The cowboy earned $733 for the win.
At the timed event end of the arena, Steve Lloyd (Alix, Alta.) won $1,104 for his first place run of 8.6 in the tie-down roping. Tanner Milan (Cochrane, Alta) placed first in the steer wrestling with a swift 3.4-second time, worth $1,411. Savona, B.C.’s Joleen Seitz raced home with $1,029 after her 13.51-second run. JD Bacon (Boswell, Okla.) and Bryan Bacon (Athabasca, Alta.) split a cheque for $1,799 after their 4.7-second run in the team roping event.
