They came, they saw … and they had an absolute blast.
The crowds that filled the Agrena last weekend witnessed adrenaline-pumping rodeo action at its finest.
There were the thrills of ride-offs, the spills of bull riding and saddle bronc and some of the speediest ladies barrel racing ever seen at the Wildrose Rodeo Finals.
Add to that the comic relief of the amazing clown Dennis Halstead and the fantastic soil preparation of Leonard Schmidt and the 32nd annual finals must be seen as a big success. Oh yes, Barrhead also celebrated a new hometown champion – 13-year-old Kagen Schmidt, who won the junior steer riding event after a tension-filled ride-off with his good friend, Bryce West.
Kagen’s victory applied gloss to four wonderful days which saw cowboys and cowgirls put their bodies on the line in the name of sport and entertainment.
On Monday morning, rodeo organizers would have awoken with a smile of satisfaction and relief.
A lot was riding on the outcome of the finals. The mood during the build-up had been somewhat soured by the scrapping of the Saturday night rodeo dance because of Curling Rink fire regulations.
There were murmurs that some people might not attend without the traditional social.
There were fears a poor turn-out would send a message that Barrhead was not interested in retaining an event known to be coveted by Drayton Valley and Whitecourt.
On the eve of the finals, Mayor Brian Schulz and Barrhead Agricultural Society president Adolph Bablitz appealed for people to pack the Agrena.
On Thursday, it seemed that farmers could not fit the rodeo into their busy schedules, judging by the open spaces in the bleachers.
Friday, however, saw a marked improvement in attendance. And then came Super Saturday and a super crowd: the Agrena was virtually full to capacity for an action-packed program, including Kids’ Day in the afternoon.
On Championship Sunday, there was another healthy attendance. Perhaps the Ag Society’s offer … the first 100 people got the choice of a prize compliments of Molson Brewery … had proved an incentive.
Whatever the reasons, the bleachers were teeming.
The message was loud and clear: Barrhead is ready to fight for the most prestigious event in its sporting calendar.
Barrhead wants the rodeo, Barrhead loves the rodeo!
