By Tiffany Williams
Editor
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.
“I think by far this is the best stock that I have seen in my time at the Stampede. For the first time in history you have to be in the 80’s to be in the top 12,” said PSA director Blair Vold. “Kesler came to town and his stock and everyone else’s stock has been exceptional. Cool Alley and Rod Hay was the pick of the show and it has come true.”
Saddle bronc cowboy Hay from Wildwood, Alberta is currently sitting in the number one position with a ride of 87.5.
Vold says that this year is the largest camper crowd that they have ever had with 4,500 trailers on the grounds. There have been so many that for the first time in the stampede’s history they have had to put some of the overflow at Vold, Jones and Vold Auction Market. He says that one of the reasons for more trailers is the cost of fuel and people are staying here to save some money on traveling.
He also thinks that they have been blessed with great weather. Also, that they could not put on the stampede without all of the committed volunteers.
“It amazes me every year how the volunteers come together. It’s a great gift that we have the support. A lot of other committees don’t have this kind of support with more than 700 volunteers. It makes the PSA proud and it puts us at the top.”
Local cowboys
Ponoka’s Trygve Pugh is currently in third place in the aggregate as of June 29 in steer wrestling. In the slack in the morning he had a time of 5.4 seconds and during the performance he had a time of 7.0 seconds for a total of 12.4 seconds on two head.
“Trigger is in the hunt with a lot of other good competitors, the best in the world,” said Vold. “It shows that we can compete with them. The longscore is quite different in the timed events and he is doing very well.”
The top 12 cowboys make it to the short go on July 1 and the finals that night. Currently 12th place is held by Greg Hoar with a time of 15.9 seconds on two head.
Dean Louis of Ponoka had two no times in steer wrestling. Brock Butterfield had a good time of 9.4 seconds in the steer wrestling slack and unfortunately had a no time during the performance. Luke Butterfield, also a steer wrestlers had a bit of trouble with his steer during the slack earning a time of 20.0 seconds and a no time in the performance. Luke got bucked off in the saddle bronc event although staying on nearly to the end on Vold Rodeo Company’s Sherlock. Tees cowboy Justin Meston scored 74 points on Northcott’s Wolf Bait.
Maria Butterfield raced the cloverleaf pattern in ladies barrel racing in a time of 18.22 seconds, Casey Crandall had a time of 18.43 seconds in the barrels and Shayna Dodds had a time of 23.39.
In the novice bareback Hobbema cowboy Creighton Littlechild was bucked off his horse and had a no score.
Chance Butterfield is set to wrestle his steer on June 30 during the afternoon performance. Also up from the local area is Dean Edge who will be looking to tie his calf in a quick time on June 30. Final results were not available at press time. Please check the next edition of the Ponoka News for full results.