Under a blistering June sun, dozens of youths take to the Ponoka Stampede infield each year to “ride” in a rodeo of their own.
The Ponoka Stampede Rodeo Challenge, June 29, gave special needs children a chance to partake in modified rodeo events and meet some of cowboys and cowgirls for the afternoon. This year they also got to meet Heartland star Amber Marshall.
Candice Tregunna, 18, who came from Mount Forest, Ont. with her parents to take in the Rodeo Challenge and a Stampede performance for the first time, enjoyed meeting the Canadian actress.
Tregunna toured the infield with cousin Brenda Smawley and former team roper John Curtis, who’s also her uncle.
“I think it’s awesome,” said Smawley, referring to the rodeo challenge, where’s she’s volunteered for the past four years. “She was so excited to just come and play, and that’s what it’s all about.”
Tregunna’s mother, Joanne, says her foster daughter’s favorite event would be the goat petting zoo. She’s loved the animals for years and was visit to the African Lion Safari in Ontario. “She let them lick all over her face.”
Tregunna loves the animals so much she’d chosen her own nickname: Billy or Uncle Billy.
“She’s so excited. She’s a diabetic so yesterday she was super high,” said Smawley with a laugh.
Tregunna also has cerebral palsy and was in a coma at four years old. “She’s my foster daughter and her parents didn’t look after her,” said Joanne.
Amanda Mielke, 11, of Stettler, liked seeing the horses best, as she’d loved the animals since she was a little girl.
Mielke rode in a special needs equestrian program in Red Deer once a week for a year but when the program discontinued she was left with just her love of horses.
Mielke, participating in the Rodeo Challenge for the first time, explored the activities with volunteer Candis Spatt.
Although the two only knew each other for about an hour, a real friendship was blossoming under the summer sky. “It’s the start of a good relationship.”
“I think it’s awesome. It’s a great opportunity for the kids to get to know about rodeo,” she added.
Before the one-hour event was up, Spatt was already making plans to visit Mielke and her family again and took the young girl and her mother to see her own horse.