FALKLAND BREAKS ALL-TIME ATTENDANCE RECORD
May 22, 2009
The Falkland Stampede and Rodeo had many reasons to celebrate over the Victoria Day weekend. Not only were they celebrating their 90th annual event, but they also broke their own all-time attendance record when nearly 4,000 spectators came through the gate on Sunday afternoon.
“It’s one of the last things that’s still affordable to take your family to,” said Rodeo Manager Jason Churchill, suggesting that the poor economy may have had an impact on the increased numbers.
“We charged $13 for adults to get in, and if you’ve got little kids with you, you don’t have to pay to take them in, and that always helps. I think it’s $16 to go to the theatre now. And we put on at least a three-hour show.”
And from the sounds of it, the bull riding was especially entertaining.
I think we had [38] bull riders entered, and we only had five qualified rides. It was quite a pen of bulls,” Churchill laughed, commending the Harvey Northcott outfit for supplying the spunky bovine.
Kyle French from Red Deer, Alta. topped that list of five with an 84.5-point ride atop Harvey Northcott’s Rumor Mill. And not only did he earn $1,682, including $300 in day money, French made an incredible jump in the Canadian standings. His win moved him from 21st place to eighth overall in his event.
In the saddle bronc, Todd Herzog received a cheque for $1,022 for his ride on Harvey Northcott’s Major Deal. The Penhold, Alta. cowboy placed first with an 82.
Dave Shields Jr. of Bashaw, Alta. tied for first place in the bareback with Russ Hallaby. Shields scored 83 points on Dirty Shame, while Hallaby, from Airdrie, Alta., earned his 83 on Beverly Hills.
In the timed events, reigning Canadian tie-down champion Tyson Durfey won first in the tie-down roping with a time of 7.5 seconds. He earned $1,302, and skipped from 15th to fifth place in the standings.
Airdrie, Alta.’s Todd Maughan took a smaller trip in the Canadian standings, but an important move nonetheless. The steer wrestler shifted from sixth to fourth place after he placed first in 4.4 seconds. Maughan earned $1,367.
It only took Kelle Lee Noble 17.23 seconds to make the cloverleaf pattern around the arena in Falkland. The B.C. barrel racer earned $1,365 for her first place win, and makes her debut in the Canadian standings as a result. After just two rodeos, she’s in 17th place.
Header Clint Maddox of Eckville, Alta. and heeler Todd Gallais from Olds, Alta. bested the competition with their 5.5-second team roping time. The two will split a cheque for $1,794.
The boys steer riders also headed out to the B.C. town of 600. Out of the 16 entrants, four held on the full eight seconds, with Tristan Carlier of Medicine Hat, Alta. taking the first place cheque worth $380.
In Luxton, B.C. over the same long weekend, the 34th annual Luxton Pro Rodeo also had a great showing of cowboys and cowgirls.
“We had great support from the cowboys. We can’t thank them enough,” said Sandy West, who co-manages the Luxton Pro Rodeo with fellow committee member Charlie Price.
“The ones that come and everything – it’s just unbelievable. I know with the island it’s hard. It’s a long haul for some of those cowboys and cowgirls to come,” West said, noting that a number of spectators also made the trip on the ferry to Vancouver Island.
“We did have rain on Monday, but the crowd on Saturday and Sunday was just packed,” she said.
And those who made the trip were treated to some pretty solid performances.
Saddle bronc rider Sam Kelts – who placed second in his event in Falkland this same weekend – placed first on the island with an 82-point ride on Big Country Rodeo’s Mona Lisa Smile. The cowboy, who hails from Millarville, Alta., picked up $1,227. The cheque places Kelts in 10th place in the Canadian standings.
It was Kelly Timberman in the bareback picking up a first place cheque worth $1,129. Timberman, who calls Mills, Wyo. home, earned 86 points with Big Country’s Time Machine.
Bull rider Jesse Torkelson from Winfield, Alta. took a spin on Captain Black. His eight-second ride earned him 86 points and first place cheque for $1,183, including day money.
Tie-down roper Steve Lloyd won $1,314 after tying his calf in 8.8 seconds. Fellow Alberta Tanner Milan topped the steer wrestling in rapid 3.2 seconds. Milan picks up $1,378 for his win.
Cathy Grant from Granton, Ont. outran the competition in the ladies barrel racing. She was in and out of the infield in 15.12 seconds, earning her $876.
Team roping Albertans Cody McCarroll and Troy Fischer tied for first place with Texans Shank Edwards and Doug Pharr. Each team placed in five seconds even, and each team earned $1,717.
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