Last week was apparently meant to be the time for Big Valley to brag.
In addition to the Peewee Thunders claiming a provincial title, a local cowboy won the big prize in an international rodeo event.
A no-show at Rodeo-Houston this past weekend ended up netting a Big Valley man more than $50,000 in prize money.
Zeke Thurston was spending the winter in Texas with family friends when he received a call, asking if he’d like to take part in RodeoHouston, filling in for a competitor who didn’t show up.
Like the Calgary Stampede, RodeoHouston is an invite-only rodeo, so Thurston otherwise wouldn’t have been competing at all.
Despite being only 20 years old, and a rookie at RodeoHouston, Thurston continued to handle the horses like a pro and kept winning, eventually edging out two-time World Champ Taos Muncy with a score of 89, just one point ahead.
In addition to the $50,000 USD, Thurston will bring home a trophy and a belt buckle.