Stettler and area residents packed the Stettler agriplex on Saturday, April 6 for the sixth annual Roughstock Rodeo, which did not turn out to be very lucky for local cowboys but did bring great entertainment to the community.
A new arrangement at the agriplex, aimed at allowing for more space for the cowboys as well as bucking bulls and horses, saw the bleachers pushed to the walls, providing also better viewing for spectators.
There were ten cowboys in each of the three classical events staged during the evening, with cowboys seeking championship in bareback, saddle bronc and bull riding competitions.
At the end of the long go round, Reid Rowan of Seven Persons, AB, Gatean Bernard of Erskine, Mike Solberg of of Sunnybrook, AB and Clayton Bunney of Cessford, AB qualified for the short go.
In the saddle bronc competition Travis Reay and Mark Dempsey of Mayerthorpe, AB, Rylan Grieger of Duchess, AB and Justin Meston of Tees, AB came on top with the opportunity of going to the second round.
When the time for the bull riding competition arrived, the cowboys found it hard to stay on the angry bulls and only two cowboys could qualify for the short go. Two cowboys, including Miles Pennington of Stettler, had their names drawn to join the short go.
In the second round of the competition, the cowboy who selected the top horse War Cry in the saddle bronc event, Rylen Greiger won the title and a jacket.
In the bareback event, Reid Rowan won comfortably on Whiskey Bent and got his jacket from Ted Nibourg, president of the Stettler Ag Society.
The top spot went to Baeau Brooks in the bull riding event who won on Virginia Slim, also earning his prize of a cowboy’s jacket.
Organizers expressed satisfaction with the turnout at the event.
Fresh from the success of last Saturday’s event, Stettler Ag Society has already started preparations for the Steelwheel Stampede scheduled for August.