Sports

Lacoka lacrosse graduate Nick Amendt returned to his roots with several of his teammates from the Sherwood Park Jr. B Tier 1 Titans to put on a development clinic for the current players in the Lacoka Lacrosse Association. Joining Amendt were his assistant coach Nathan Finkbeiner, team captain Thomas Carr and goaltender Tyler Holik.

The cars and trucks were smashing and crashing during the Clive Lion’s Club Demolition Derby on July 13. The event had more than 1,300 people in attendance, which was the derby’s biggest crowd ever. Crystal Greenley from Tees was the winner of the demolition cars competition and Dustin Theissen from Ponoka was the winner of the trucks competition. Jim Barnhill was the winner of the $2,500 cash draw.

Local cowboy Dean Edge roped in what is dubbed the ‘greatest outdoor show on earth,’ the Calgary Stampede. Edge made it all the way to the top four during championship Sunday earning $21,000. “I’m really happy and satisfied. It was not necessary beyond my expectation but I was happy to compete with the best and beat them,” said Edge.

The Ponoka Panthers Fastball club will be hosting the 2008 midget ‘C’ Girls provincials July 18 to 20 in Ponoka. They will be hosting 10 teams of girls ages 16 to 19 from all across Alberta. In 2007 the Panthers won silver and in 2006 they finished fourth at provincials. They compete in the Red Deer Ladies Fastball league and are currently in sixth place with a 7-10 record. They have three games left and are aiming to finish with a .500 record.

The Ponoka Stampede Showdown finals were held on July 1 in front of a packed crowd during the 72nd annual Ponoka Stampede. The stampede drew 66,465 people to watch the many great events going on during the largest professional rodeo in all of Canada. PSA president Blake Butterfield was very pleased with the rodeo.

The WPCA wagons race towards the finish line on June 29 at the Ponoka Stampede.

The Ponoka Stampede is the largest and best professional rodeo in all of Canada and it has continued to prove that this week. The stampede kicked off on June 26 and as of June 29 there has been 39,718 people to see all of the action including rodeo, pony chariots and World Professional Chuckwagon action.

BJ Zieffle, top, from Consort, Alberta tackles a steer and received a time of 6.3. Ty Gilchrist vaults over the bucking bronc as he is thrown off its back and didn’t hold on for the eight second ride.

The Old Timers Team Roping event started the 72nd annual Ponoka Stampede on June 24 at the stampede grounds. The event saw 187 teams compete in three different categories: 40 plus, 50 plus and 60 plus. The roping started at noon and they were finished by 3:15 p.m. and that evening they had a supper provided by the Ponoka Stampede Association.

Wally Pugh and Gary Hart work to rope their steer during the Old Timers team roping event at the Ponoka Stampede Grounds on June 24.