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| Photo by Andre Silva PBR’s Team Canada, from left: alternate Tanner Gerlitz (Cereal, AB), Ty Elliott (Vernon, BC), Devon Mezei (Scandia, AB), Tyler Thomson (Black Diamond, AB), Aaron Roy (Asquith, SK), Scott Schiffner (Strathmore, AB), and coach Cody Snyder (Okotoks, AB). All three western provinces were represented on the 2009 PBR World Cup Team. |
Looks Like Team Spirit!
“Not only are we a team, but we’re darn sure going to look like a team,” said Cody Snyder, PBR Team Canada captain and bull-istics expert (Living Legend, Feb/Mar 2008).
The athletes, wearing custom hats (made by Vern Elliott of Cowboy’s Choice) and packing custom OGIO gear bags — not to mention their reputation as double-tough bull riders — created an intimidating sight as they strode into Barretos, Sao Paulo, Brazil to take on the best bull riders from four other countries — all competing in the Professional Bull Riders World Cup.
Canada’s PBR World Cup Team made the country proud as ‘the team to be reckoned with.” The men of Team Canada have placed second in their two previous appearances at World Cup events — and this year they faced 80,000 die-hard Brazilian fans and a maelstrom of media coverage for a viewership of 100 million that spanned the globe, including Australia, Brazil, Mexico, the United States and Canada.
When the dust cleared, the final results saw Team USA win with 1,387.75 points; Team Brazil in second with 1,217.5 points; Team Canada in third with 1,027 points; fourth went to Team Australia with 685 points; and fifth to Team Mexico with 173 points.
Team Canada placed second in Mexico and Australia in the PBR World Cup. No official word yet where the 2010 PBR World Cup will be held; either the eastern seaboard in the States or Canada. Stay tuned…
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| Photo by Tammy Kneller Sahvanne Weasel Traveller, 2010 Calgary Stampede Indian Princess |
Calgary Stampede Indian Princess Crowned
Sahvanne Weasel Traveller, 23, lived her childhood dream when she was crowned the 2010 Calgary Stampede Indian Princess in September by outgoing princess, Nikkole Heavey-Shields. Weasel Traveller is a member of the Piikani First Nation, located near Pincher Creek. Watching the Indian Princess in the parade on horseback inspired her to compete for the title.
Weasel Traveller is a woman’s traditional dancer and was raised to be proud of her heritage. At the crowning, she was honoured with a blessing and drum circle in front of friends and family.
She is the Ambassador for the Indian Village and will attend more than 200 events throughout the year leading up to next July’s Stampede.
“I welcome everyone to visit the Indian Village while attending the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth,” she says. For more information on the Indian Village, please visit www.indianvillage.ca.
2010 Calgary Stampede Royalty
The Calgary Stampede crowned the 2010 Stampede Queen and Princesses and introduced the 2010 Indian Princess during the finals of the Canadian Rodeo Tour Championship.
The reigning Stampede Queen Kerri Williamson and Princesses Kateri Cowley and Tara Sergerie handed over their crowns to the new Stampede royalty. Sahvanne Weasel Traveller assumed the Indian Princess crown from Nikkole Heavey-Shields.
Congratulations to the 2010 Calgary Stampede Queen Katie Rochon, a psychology student at the University of Calgary. Katie has always loved horses and has been riding for 12 years; competing in show jumping.
The 2010 Stampede Princesses are Kirstie Rougeau from Gleichen and Janelle Phillips from Cochrane. Rougeau is studying psychology at Mount Royal University while Phillips is finishing her practicum as a teacher.
The Stampede Royalty act as official ambassadors of the Calgary Stampede and make more than 400 appearances during their reign.
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| Photo courtesy of Cowgirl Creations |
Border Battle Winners Earn Spades & Wades
Big loops and phenomenal prizes set the stage at the Canadian Ranch Roping Association’s first Border Battle Ranch Roping competition held at Tica Stables near Midale, Sask., in July. Ropers from the U.S. and Canada competed for two days to win custom Wade tree saddles sponsored by Talisman Energy and, for the Novice Division, custom spade bits made by Jim Hyde of Sask., sponsored by TriStar Oil and Gas.
The competition saw 22 teams in the Open division and 14 in the Novice. First place in the Novice and the custom Hyde bits went to Paula Cox and Steven Loffler of Alberta who scored 68 on four head. Canadian Cowboy Country magazine is the media sponsor of the Canadian Ranch Roping Association.
For more information, please visit canadianranchroping.ca or click on their link on canadiancowboy.ca
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| Photo by Carrie Resch A proud seven-year-old Cooper Resch and his horse, Beau, pose with the new North Country Junior Rodeo Association’s first season’s worth of winnings, which include a NCJRA Year End Champion (ages 6-8) buckle in breakaway roping (his first), the horse blanket for second in barrel racing and the bronc halter for fourth in goat tying. Beau is a retired pickup/rope horse that used to belong to his dad, pickup man, Jason Resch. “That horse is worth his weight in gold,” says mom Carrie. |
New Rodeo Association Formed
While some parents look for activities for their children, others go out and make them happen. That’s exactly what Jason and Carrie Resch, Troy and Tara Fischer, Neil and Dawn Marie Branden and Pam and Joey Golden did when they got together last winter and formed the North Country Junior Rodeo Association.
The new association is aimed at kids 14 and under in the Barrhead/Mayerthorpe/Fort Assiniboine areas. They’re grouped by age and compete in barrel racing, pole bending, goat tying, breakaway, team and tie down roping.
“We thought if we had 50 kids we would be lucky,” says Carrie Resch. “We had kids coming out of the woodwork — some travelling a couple of hours to be a part of the junior rodeos.”
With 80-plus members, the association hosted a junior rodeo every Wednesday in July and August, complete with grand entry: a total of eight regular season rodeos and the dramatic sudden-death Finals. “Throughout the summer we had so many entries that we started to worry about running out of daylight,” says Resch.
The rodeo is formatted to be “as real as possible” so the kids learn the ropes of what rodeo is all about.
“It was unbelievable to see how much each kid improved over the season,” says Resch. “It brought kids together who normally wouldn’t have the opportunity to be a part of rodeo. It was probably one of the most rewarding things we could have done — and we can’t wait until next year!”
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| Photo courtesy of Marjie Hyland The bride and groom; Marjie (nee Crawford) and Mel Hyland |
The Hitching Rail
World Champion Ties the Knot
Congratulations to two-time World Champion bronc rider Mel Hyland (Living Legend, Aug/Sept 2007) and Marjorie Crawford, who rode into the northern wilderness to her family’s trapper cabin Sept. 18 and rode out again — married.
Hyland, who enjoyed a successful rodeo career, is now an accomplished horse trainer and clinician; he also judged the Mane Event Trainers Challenge and participated in Red Deer. As well, he’s a talented musician and songwriter. Marjie herself is an accomplished fiddle player.
The happy couple exchanged rings; hers is a beautiful diamond, while his ended up being custom-made due to his ring size. It was crafted out of a halter ring, cut and welded to fit then filed smooth. “I guess you could say it’s engraved,” quips Hyland while admiring the file marks.
The happy couple makes their home near Valleyview, Alta.
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| Photo by Mike Copeman Mike Copeman captured this dramatic photograph of Scott Byrne and Dave Sandilands’ frantic efforts to free Scott Schiffner at Calgary |
Not for the Faint of Heart
It was a good bull ride.
After scoring an 81.5 on Calgary Stampede’s River Rat, Strathmore’s Scott Schiffner tried to dismount, but couldn’t. His right spur was hung up in his bull rope at the Wrangler Canadian Tour Championship finals in Calgary.
Bullfighters Scott Byrne and Dave Sandilands blessed their bullet-proof vests as they took hit after hit from the bull trying to free Schiffner. At one point, Sandilands even grabbed Schiffner and supported him as the bull spun, taking the strain off the hopelessly entangled spur as Byrne wrestled with the rope.
When Schiffner was finally freed, the audience erupted in a thunderous standing ovation for Byrne and Sandilands. Schiffner wholeheartedly agreed with the crowd.
Later, a surprisingly calm Schiffner said he was “OK. I didn’t break anything.” But he didn’t ride in the final performance. He stayed behind the chutes to watch the final go and then congratulated Ty Elliott on his win.
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| Photo by Terri Mason Corb Lund performing live |
“And the CCMA Awards Go To”
Hosted by actor and director Jason Priestley, this year’s Canadian Country Music Awards took place in Vancouver, B.C., in September. Country music fans were treated to amazing performances by artists such as Aaron Pritchett, Paul Brandt with High Valley, Reba McEntire and Martina McBride.
The big winner of the night was Johnny Reid, who took home five CCMA Awards. Also of note were newcomers Dean Brody and Tara Oram, who were each presented with their first award. Corb Lund and the Hurtin’ Albertans once again earned Roots Artist of the Year, an award they have owned every year since 2003.
For those who like to plan ahead, Edmonton is already gearing up as it once again welcomes country music fans. Alberta’s capital city has been named the host city for the 2010 Country Music Week and the CCMA Awards.
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| Photo by Liz Twan Photographer Liz Twan captured rodeo announcer Tyson Pietsch at the Williams Lake Stampede. Pietsch will be calling some of the WPCA chuckwagon races in 2010. |
WPCA Names New Announcer
Due to announcer Les McIntyre’s commitment to the Calgary Stampede, Tyson Pietsch has been named the track announcer at a select number of chuckwagon races along the WPCA Dodge Pro Tour.
With the encouragement of stock contractor and father-in-law John Duffy, Pietsch (pronounced ‘peach’) began announcing rodeos in 1991. Some of his career highlights so far include announcing the Foothills Cowboys Association Finals and the Wild Rose Rodeo Finals, multiple times.
Pietsch will be calling the action at Medicine Hat, Bonnyville, Drumheller, Red Deer and the qualification run off starting in 2010.
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| Photo courtesy of Kevin Rockabar This famous rodeo photograph features 1964 Canadian Saddle Bronc champion Rocky Rockabar making a 70-point first place ride on Blue Bill at Swift Current Frontier Days. Several years later, Blue Bill was officially retired at Swift Current and returned to the hills south of Moose Jaw to Bill Gomersall’s ranch where he was born. |
Legendary Bronc Helps Fund Arena
The folks on Moose Jaw’s rodeo committee have long memories — and they want to build an outdoor arena. So they’ve come up with a fundraising idea that will appeal to fans of legendary broncs on both sides of the Medicine Line.
Lee Sinclair of Ivomec Merial Canada (and a retired bronc rider) is funding a custom buckle crafted by silversmith Jim Hyde. The buckle will commemorate the famed bronc, Blue Bill, who was raised by well-known horseman, rancher and poet, the late Bill Gomersall. Stock contractor Jerry Myers bought the bronc in the ’40s; Blue Bill’s career spanned 20-plus years of terrorizing cowboys. He was inducted into the Canadian Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame in 2008.
The rodeo committee is selling tickets on the buckle and the draw will take place at the Sunday performance of their rodeo which runs June 25–27, 2010. Funds raised by the arena group will be matched by the exhibition.
At the grand opening, officials will cut the ribbon to welcome all to the new Bill Gomersall Arena.
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| Photo courtesy of Phyllis Rathwell Kon Stolz and his daughter, Avienda, on the path overlooking Machu Picchu. Kon is the son of cowboy poet Phyllis Rathwell. |
Where in the World is Canadian Cowboy Country?
Machu Picchu is a pre-Columbian Inca site located 2,430 metres above sea level, situated on a mountain ridge some 80 km northwest of Cuzco. Often referred to as “The Lost City of the Incas,” Machu Picchu is one of the most familiar symbols of the Inca Empire.
The Incas started building it around AD 1430, but it was abandoned as an official site for the Inca rulers 100 years later at the time of the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire.
Machu Picchu was declared a Peruvian Historical Sanctuary in 1981 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. Since it was not plundered by the Spanish when they conquered the Incas, it’s especially important as a cultural site and is considered a sacred place.
Millions of visitors have made the trek to the site, including Kon Stolz and his daughter, Avienda, originally from Tompkins, Sask.