By Kevin J Sabo For the Independent
The future of rodeo is in good hands if the talent shown this weekend at the Canadian Junior Roughstock Championships in Stettler are any indication.
A number of young athletes from all over Western Canada descended on Stettler on Sept. 14 - 15 hoping to take home some hardware, and maybe qualify for the Junior National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, Nevada this fall. For 15 of the youth, they were not disappointed.
The Stettler Canadian Junior Roughstock Championships is one of the few Canadian routes available to young rodeo participants wanting to break into the Junior National Finals Rodeo in the U.S, and the competition can come from all over Canada.
Eight events were held on both days, with the prize winners being determined from the overall average of the two days. Prizes were sponsored and featured belt buckles and cash prizes.
The top riders in the events were: PeeWee Bareback - Ryder Topolinski of Grand Prarie; Junior Bareback - Colton Stark, with Holden Atkinson and Tyson Fells also qualifying; Senior Bareback - Denver Leitch of Grand Prairie, with Chase Siemens and Austin Broderson also qualifying; Novice Bareback - Logan Rasmussen; PeeWee Saddle Bronc - Whip Gertner of Stettler; Junior Saddle Bronc - Brody Hale; Senior Saddle Bronc - Jax Meston of Alix, with Colby Stark also qualifying; and Novice Saddle Bronc - Jaret Cooper.
Held in conjunction with the Canadian Junior Roughstock Championship was the Leal’s Junior Bull Riding Championship, with Holden Atkinson, Garrett Bertamini, Braiden Cretney of Alix, and Wyatt Payne of Vermillion all qualifying for their age groups to head to Las Vegas for the Junior National Finals Rodeo Dec. 6-15.