The stands may not have been packed, but participants of the Senior Rodeo in Barrhead last week still put on a good show.
Seniors taking part in a rough and tough activity like rodeo may seem odd to some, but the age of competitors was not reflected in their skill or performance.
At first glance the man wrestling a steer down and dirty in the deep mud didn’t look any different than those one would see at a regular rodeo. Then came the voice over the loud speaker, “... and that’s it for the 50 plus category folks!”
There were 129 competitors in the rodeo, which took place June 17 and 18. Senior cowboys and cowgirls came from all across Alberta, as well as the United States. The Barrhead area was well represented, with some competitors from in town as well as several from Mayerthorpe.
The rodeo officially kicked off Monday morning at 11 a.m. with Ladies Barrel Racing. The day also saw Calf Roping, Breakaway Roping, Ladies Breakaway, Steer Wrestling, Team Roping, and Ribbon roping, which seemed to evidently become a crowd favourite.
Though there were no rough stock events on day one, day two brought plenty of action. Bull riding started off Tuesday’s events with a bang, as four individuals braved the eternal seven seconds. The day also closed with another session of bull riding.
The rodeo has since moved on to Thorsby, Alberta, and will eventually make its way to Montana.
