Next month Sangudo Arena will be where dust flies, hoofs roar and spurs jingle. It will also be where the buck starts and stops.
Mark 7 p.m., Aug. 18 in your calendar. That will be when the Elite Professional Bull Riders bust into the little hamlet and create some mayhem.
It will be man versus beast – a test of nerves as 30 riders compete on the best bulls, with the top six advancing to the final round.
Some of the bulls and riders have been to the Canadian Finals Rodeo and many Elite Professional Bull Riding events throughout Western Canada and the USA. Local riders will also be competing.
The “bull bash” is being put on by the Sangudo &District Agricultural Society.
But don’t for a moment reckon on the usual cowboy capers, however thrilling they are. For this event will offer something special – Mexican poker, perhaps the most dangerous game after Russian roulette.
Imagine a group of cowboys sitting at a table playing cards. Then the gates open and a wild bull charges into the arena.
What would you do? What will the cowboys do? The last cowboy sitting will win the Mexican Poker. Bravery or reckless disregard for one’s own safety – you be the judge.
After the dust has settled, there will be a dance in the arena to Wild Card, a six-piece band that plays country and rock, old and new. Dance will start at about 9:45 p.m.
For those wanting even more action, the speedway will be staging races that weekend. Engines will begin firing at 7 p.m. Concession and beer gardens will be available.
The Sangudo Ag Society is looking for sponsorship for the “bull bash.” Advertising opportunities are available.
“If your company or group would like a sponsorship table up close and personal with the riders and bulls, we will be happy to accommodate you,” the society says.
“Bussing from local areas such as Onoway, Whitecourt, etc. will be available so your entire group can celebrate the bull riding without worries.”
The Ag Society said it was hoping to make the event a yearly tradition.
