By Tiffany Williams
Editor
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.
Organizer Dennis Pugh said that with the rainy weather they were down a few entries and they had one minor injury but other than that the day went quite well. Pugh who competed in the 50 plus division and was a rookie in the 60 plus division says that roping is his passion and he will never quit.
“The best part was all of us over 40 gentleman having a little play and the camaraderie. A lot of the men just come to watch and visit. They get to meet people they haven’t seen since last year,” said Pugh.
For Pugh he rode bareback professionally ‘a few years ago’ and has been team roping since the mid 1970s and enjoys carrying on the tradition.
“As we get older are proud of our tradition and western heritage. We want to keep it going as long as we can.”
This year the oldest competitor was Eddie Jensen who is 78 years old. The team roping reunion started in 1981 and before that there was an oldtimers rodeo.
The total prize money was $12,000 and the PSA added $800 to each category.
Forty plus results (82 teams)
Mel Coleman and Rocky Dallyn, 4.91 seconds and the team payout was $1,127
Chad Evenson and Bruce Robinson, 5.72 and $980
Jim Randle and Dwight Wigemyer, 6.25 and $833
Murray Linthicum and Scott McLeod 6.27 and $686
Fifty plus results (77 teams)
Barry Black and Don Depaoli, 6.59 and $1,348.50
Tom Glass and Dave Fraser, 7.46 and $1,116
Barry Black and Dave Fraser, 7.53 and $883.50
Mel Coleman and Dave Fraser, 7.92 and $651
Sixty plus results (28 teams)
Barry Black and Art Gallais, 7.91 and $880
Dennis Pugh and Art Gallais, 8.30 and $660
Jim Bailey and Calvin Stern, 8.76 and $440
Ed Knaga and Calvin Stern, 8.91 and $220