Broncs and Bulls This Saturday
Open Bull Riding Champion, Chanse Switzer on Super Duty for 78 points - Photo by Randy Lewis/lewisimages
Its been a long haul and its a lot of bull which is OK with the organizers but an annual event is coming back for its 27th year.
This coming Saturday at 7 pm the Warner’s Trailer Sales Broncs and Bulls is coming back to the Golden Mile Arena at the Moose Jaw Exhibition Grounds located at 30 Thatcher Drive.
“This is the first bull riding event in Saskatchewan and the longest bull riding event in Saskatchewan,” said co-organizer Muriel Barrett who stages the open unsanctioned event each Winter with her husband Carl.
The event will feature 25 head of bulls and 12 saddle broncs matched up against 26 or 27 competitors coming from all three prairie provinces.
One of the featured competitors will be Colt Smith from Nanton, Alberta a champion Canadian Cowboy Association (CCA) bronc rider.
But the event will go well beyond the actual riding but also include well known rodeo clown Dennis Halstead also from Nanton, Alberta who Barrett says is a long time friend who is guaranteed to make you laugh and is always a hit with the kids.
“He (Halstead) is a rodeo clown for the kids and he is an entertainer. He will make sure he will keep them entertained,” she said.
Halstead is stopping in Moose Jaw before heading off to Australia as this is regularly the off season for rodeo in North America.
Holding the rodeo in the Winter might seem strange as rodeos are usually a Summer event but Barrett said that is intentional for two reasons.
The first is “its an off season and the cowboys are available and want something to do, she said.
The second reason is the event was set up so as not to conflict with events in other communities.
“It is out of the road of other events it is what we wanted. Not to conflict with events in other communities.”
The event usually draws 700 spectators with “quite a few coming in and staying at the (Temple Gardens Mineral) Spa. They make a weekend out of it.”
Advance tickets are available Cowtown and Cobb’s Cobblery in Moose Jaw but also available at the door. Doors open at 5 pm with the two and half hour show starting at 7 pm. Ticket costs are $18 for adult, $12 for youth and a family (two adults and two youth is $50). Proceeds from the show go to STARS Ambulance.
“It’s cheap entertainment and always draws a mixed crowd of traditional and non-traditional fans,” Barrett said.
Check out the video below about Halstead and his unique job as a rodeo clown.