High School Rodeo athletes pack the Crossroads Centre
Big Country High School Rodeo Club hosted one of the seven weekends of Alberta High School Rodeo for District 2 held this spring. The event took place at the Big Country Agricultural Society’s Crossroads Centre in Oyen April 26, 27 and 28.
Seventy-nine junior high and 140 high school participants came from as far north as Athabasca, west to Sundre, south to Strathmore, and Oyen to the east!
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Friday Junior High Rodeo started at 1 p.m.
Events: Barrel Racing, Boys Breakaway, Tie Down, Ribbon Roping, Chute Dogging, Girls’ Goat Tying, Boys’ Goat Tying, Girls’ Breakaway, Bareback , Saddlebronc, Steer Riding, Team Roping, Junior Bull Riding and Pole Bending
Junior High and High School Light Rifle and High School Trap Shooting took place at the Oyen Rod & Gun Club Friday night at 6 p.m. This was one of the three Shooting events taking place on the 7 weekends.
Despite the cold and wind the kids had a great time. Oyen Rod & Gun club were terrific hosts, even barbequing hamburgers and hot dogs for the competitors and their families!
Saturday morning at 8:30 a.m.
Events: Boys’ Cutting, Girls’ Cutting, and Reined Cow Horse.
Saturday 10:30 a.m. and Sunday 9:30 a.m. saw full days of rodeo action with these events both days: Bareback, Saddlebronc, Barrel Racing, Tie Down Roping, Breakaway Roping, Steer Wrestling, Goat Tying, Team Roping, Pole Bending and Bull Riding.
Competitors earned a bit of prize money for top placings in their events both days.
Junior High Champions in each event received a beautiful halter or rope bag with custom leather designs by Tyrone Maines – Out of Line Leather Designs.
High School Average Champions in each event won a beautiful Corriente Buckles sponsored by one of our many generous sponsors!
High Point Awards from the Big Country Rodeo
Junior High Girls High Point winner: Ellie Havens of Madden cleaned house Friday taking home the championship points and prizes for Pole Bending and Girls’ Goat Tying, as well as placing in Breakaway, Team Roping, and Barrels. Ellie won a lawn chair with a custom leather design by Tyrone Maines – Out of Line Leather Designs.
Junior High Boys High Point winner: Cruz Lillico of Stettler is the Boys’ Breakaway Champion, Team Roping Champion with his partner Jax, and Ribbon Roping Champion with his partner Ava! Cruz won a lawn chair with a custom leather design by Tyrone Maines – Out of Line Leather Designs.
High School Boys High Point winner: Colt Van Straten of Stettler is our Average Champion in the Tie Down Roping, 2nd in the average in the Steer Wrestling, and placed in the Team Roping! Colt won a pair of custom Corriente Buckle Co. Spurs.
High School Girls High Point winner: Aubrey Ross of Botha brought her A game this weekend! She’s took home the average buckle for the Barrel Racing, Girls’ Goat Tying as well as the Breakaway! Aubrey also won a pair of custom Corriente Buckle Co. Spurs
Junior High Event Winners
BARRELS - Laci Pole, Erskine
BREAKAWAY BOYS - Cruz Lillico, Stettler
RIBBON ROPING - Cruz Lillico, Stettler and Ava Boxma, Halkirk
TEAM ROPING - Cruz Lillico, Stettler and Jax Torkelson, Warburg
CHUTE DOGGING - Rex Curtis, Donalda
POLE BENDING - Ellie Havens, Madden
GOAT TYING GIRLS - Ellie Havens, Madden
GOAT TYING BOYS - Luke Hronek, Erskine
BREAKAWAY GIRLS - Hadley Schiffner, Wheatland County
BAREBACK - Riley Baird, Big Valley
JR BULL RIDING - Blaze Torkelson, Warburg
High School 2-Day Average Winners
BOYS’ CUTTING - Clancy Squair, Clyde
GIRLS’ CUTTING - Annaleise Millar, Stettler
REINED COW HORSE - Sophia Lowie, Leduc
BAREBACK - Quaide Skjonsberg, Bluffton
SADDLEBRONC - Clay Greenslade, Rocky View County
BARRELS - Aubrey Ross, Botha
BREAKAWAY - Aubrey Ross, Botha
GOAT TYING - Aubrey Ross, Botha
TIE DOWN - Colt Van Straten, Stettler
STEER WRESTLING - Jake Curtis, Donalda
TEAM ROPING - Ryder Hillock and Levi Hunter, Sundre
POLE BENDING - Haley Resch, Lousana
BULL RIDING- Westen Wade, Sylvan Lake (no photo)
Junior High Light Rifle Champion: Hailey Muenchrath, Rockyford.
HS Trap Shooting Champion: Whip Gertner,. He was tied with Clancy Squair after the first round so they got to do a shoot off for the win.
High School Light Rifle Champion: Nathan Bishell, Consort.
Calvin and Haley Powell – Homestead Angus donated prizes for the Champions in all three shooting events.