His arms raised in triumph, 13-year-old Kagen Schmidt celebrated his coronation on Sunday as a Wildrose rodeo king.
As a large Agrena crowd applauded, the first to congratulate him was Bryce West – the friend he had just edged out in a junior steer riding tie-breaker.
It was a memorable moment of sportsmanship that helped define the 32nd Wildrose Rodeo Finals.
Fittingly, both boys left the arena winners: Kagen with his championship saddle and 14-year-old Bryce as holder of the Dusty Wilkinson Memorial Award.
The award – presented for the highest junior steer riding point ride – honours Dusty who died in a bull riding accident at the Smoky Lake Rodeo in 1992. Last year’s winner was … Bryce West, with an 80.5 ride.
“It’s really cool to have won,” said Kagen, who also received a buckle for being the season leader in the steer riding standings.
Did a ride-off put a severe strain on his nerves? Not a bit of it. The Barrhead Composite High School student has shown once again he loves the big occasion.
“I get very excited, not really nervous,” he said. “Even in a ride-off, I didn’t feel nervous.”
Surely the same could not have been said for most of the crowd. In the end, Barrhead’s hopes rested solely on Kagen’s shoulders as he duelled it out with Bryce.
The pair are good friends – they both come from families with strong rodeo traditions – but in the heat of competition there is little room for sentiment.
Meanwhile, in the team roping, Kagen’s dad, David, and older brother, Cole, nearly sealed a wonderful weekend for the Schmidt clan as they put together some impressive performances.
Finally, however, they had to concede the championship to the powerful Clyde pairing of Murdock Keith and Kody Potts.
Here is the complete list of winners: bareback riding – Ryley Gilbertson; calf roping – Shawn Miller; junior bulls – Brian Symington; junior breakaway – Travis Speer; junior steer riding – Kagen Schmidt; steer wrestling – Scott Guenthner; novice horse riding – Bradford Trenerry; ladies barrel racing – Rene LeClercq; junior barrel racing – Dakota McIvor; peewee barrel racing – Tori Graham; saddle bronc – Mark O’Dempsey; team roping – Murdock Keith/Kody Potts; bull riding – Billy West; hi point qualifiers at finals – Murdock Keith.
Hands-on rodeo organizer Leonard Schmidt, who drove a tractor throughout the event to keep the soil suitable for ladies barrel racing, was pleased with the turn-out for the Sept. 13-16 finals.
“The crowds were better than my expectations,” he said.
With farmers keen to take advantage of sunny weather for combining, there had been concern about attendance.
There were also fears that the cancellation of the Saturday night rodeo dance at the Curling Rink because of fire regulations would put a dampener on proceedings.
Days before the finals Mayor Brian Schulz and Barrhead Agricultural Society president Adolph Bablitz appealed for people to fill the Agrena.
They wanted a massive show of support for the crown jewel of the town’s community events.
After a quiet start on Thursday, the finals picked up over the next three days as people flocked to the arena. Super Saturday saw the bleachers packed, while Championship Sunday also attracted a huge crowd.
Among those who attended were Schulz, Reeve Bill Lee and Barrhead-Morinville-Westlock MLA Maureen Kubinec. Rodeo royalty were also there, selling 50/50 tickets.
There were reports of passing motorists stopping by the Agrena, curious to discover what was going on.
“The attendance was more than satisfactory given the weather,” said Schmidt. “It certainly helps us cover expenses.”
The Stollery Children’s Hospital also emerged a winner: it was announced that $7,152 had been raised for the facility through a silent auction and a buckle auction.
Schmidt praised the cowboys and cowgirls for keeping spectators entertained with top class performances.
“I thought the calibre of competitors was top-notch,” he said.
As someone who likes rodeo action to be non-stop, Schmidt was a little frustrated by the pace on Sunday: not only were there ride-offs, but there was a hiccup when a barrier system broke, causing delays in the calf roping competition.
“I suppose these things are to be expected,” he said. “Overall I am satisfied.”
Organizers had rodeo clown Dennis Halstead to thank for keeping people amused during breaks in action. His continual banter with announcers David Poulsen and Dustin Edwards was a highlight of the finals.
Schmidt hailed the competitors in ladies barrel racing, which saw consistently fast times. “I thought it was an unbelievable barrel racing event,” he said.
Asked about his grandson Kagen’s performance, Schmidt agreed it was impressive.
“He definitely has a future,” he said. “He is what we call sticky. He’s hard to get rid of once he starts riding.”
So what now for Kagen, who has been enjoying a stellar season?
“I want to go as far as I can go,” said Kagen, who also competed in junior breakaway roping.
Next up for him is a pro rodeo event in Hanna and the Canadian Rodeo Finals in Edmonton in November.
Before then he can savour his Wildrose success, undoubtedly one of the high points of his young career.
“Yes, it feels pretty good,” he smiled.
