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In the CorralJune - July 2006 New Calgary Stampede Trio Crowned
In addition to taking in some exciting rodeo action at Rodeo Royal and the Stampede Chuckwagon Canvas Auction during Roughstock, Miss Rodeo Canada Aleaha More was an honoured guest as 2005 Calgary Stampede Queen Lauren MacLennan and Princesses Justine Milner and Colleen Crowe handed over their crowns to the 2006 Royal Trio. Congratulations to 2006 Calgary Stampede Queen Cheryl Dafoe and Princesses April Kanderka and Terri Murray who will not only reign over the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth, but also represent the Calgary Stampede at events across North America. Bill GomersallSaskatchewan’s Bill Gomersall passed away on March 20, 2006 just twelve hours short of being 101 years old. Born in Carp, Ontario March 21, 1905, he moved west with his family in 1913. Bill married Irene Paton from Spring Valley in 1937. In the 1930s his name was synonymous in Saskatchewan with horses and rodeos, developing a reputation as a fine horseman, a rodeo stock contractor, a rancher and a celebrated cowboy poet. Bill and Irene ranched in the Mayberry district and raised their family; William “Billy,” Peggie (Ted) McHolm, Sherry (Barry) Quam, and Doug (Joan). Bill was a legendary centurion honoured in Saskatchewan. Iloe Flewelling, Bill’s niece said, “Bill went in the senior’s home on Saturday and was gone early afternoon on Monday. He said he didn’t want to just look at the blue sky; that’s all he could see out his window.” &#His mind was just as sharp as ever, but he told me, ‘My body is betraying me.’ He was the boss; he was giving orders right to the end. Let me rephrase that. He didn’t give orders; he was like all true leaders – he gave instructions.” Above all, Bill Gomersall was a competitor. He not only enriched our heritage but also our future with wisdom and humour, gifts that only come with a bit of maturity – and a lot of experience.
Cowboy in ParisMeghann Tanner, editor’s assistant, recently enjoyed a trip to Paris, France where she posed with Canadian Cowboy Country in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower. The editor was at the Farm and Ranch show in Edmonton. Our magazine is fast becoming the most widely travelled Cowboy of Canada. It has been photographed in Afghanistan, and now France. I wonder where next? Canadian Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame Announces 2006 InducteesBruce Flewelling, Dick Havens, Wilf Hyland, Emery LeGrandeur, Daryl Mills, Larry Robinson and Franklin Rodeo’s Airwolf will be officially inducted into the Canadian Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame this October. Bruce Flewelling rode as a pick-up man at the Calgary Stampede for 15 years, at the CFR four times and worked as an instructor at the only pick-up man school in Canada. Flewelling won the Canadian cow milking championship seven times, the Alberta Circuit cow milking championship seven times, and was a two-time Calgary Stampede cow milking champion. Flewelling, now 67, held a stock sub-contractor card for 20 years, supplying many top bucking horses to CPRA rodeos. Dick Havens joined the CPA in 1949, and was the Canadian bareback champion in 1959 and all-around champion in 1961. He finished in the top five in the Canadian bareback standings three other times. He served as president of the CPA and served terms as a director and vice-president. A CPRA life member, he was inducted as a “Pioneer of Rodeo” by the Calgary Stampede. Wilf Hyland won his first Canadian saddle bronc championship in 1976, also qualifying for the NFR that year. In 1978, he qualified for both the CFR and NFR, where he placed third in the sudden-death format NFR in Oklahoma City, Okla.
In 1980 he won his second Canadian saddle bronc title, and once again qualified for both Finals in 1981. Hyland also served as a saddle bronc riding director on the CPRA’s board. Emery LeGrandeur was born near Pembleton, Ore. in 1881. LeGrandeur’s family moved to the Pincher Creek, Alta. region in 1882. LeGrandeur won the world saddle bronc riding championship in 1913, 1914 and again in 1916. He was twice a Canadian champion, in 1917 and 1919. LeGrandeur served as a rodeo judge at the Calgary Stampede from 1926 until his death in 1934 at the age of 53. Daryl Mills was a two-time Canadian champion bull rider (1990, 1992) and CPRA rookie of the year winner (1990). He won the NFR aggregate title in 1993, setting a record for money won, and the world bull riding title in 1994. Mills holds the CFR record for most consecutive bulls ridden at 17, spanning three Finals appearances (1990 (6); 1992 (6); and 1993 (5)). During that span, he placed 14 times. Larry Robinson won six Canadian tie-down roping titles (1981 – 1982, 1984 – 1985, 1992 and 1994) and finished CPRA season leader five times (1979, 1982 and 1984 – 1986). Robinson still holds the record for most points over six performances at the Canadian Finals with 190 in 1984. He made the NFR seven times (1977, 1979, 1981 – 1982 and 1984 – 1986). In 1986, Robinson was the Calgary Stampede’s $50,000 bonus winner. Robinson was named as the CPRA’s Cowboy of the Year in 1997. Three of Robinson’s horses were named as Horse of the Year. Lucky, Fred and Duffer won the year-end title a combined six times. Franklin Rodeo’s Airwolf started out as a bareback horse, being named third-best bareback horse of the world and NFR in 1992. In 1993, Airwolf was named Canadian and World Bareback Horse of the Year. After being switched to the saddle bronc event in 1995, he was named Saddle Bronc of the Calgary Stampede. The following year, at the Daines Ranch Rodeo in Innisfail, Alta., Glen O’Neill rode Airwolf for 95 points, tying Doug Vold’s record score from 1979. In 1999, Airwolf once again was named the Saddle Bronc Horse of the NFR, top horse of the Calgary Stampede, and Canadian Horse of the Year. Then, in 2003, on the eve of retirement, Airwolf was named Saddle Bronc of the NFR for a second and final time. Airwolf is retired on the Franklin ranch. Did You Know?
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Bert Pierson at the Medicine Tree – original oil painting by B. T. Smith of Longview. (Notice how the tree is not only twinned but joined further up the trunk.) |
Every fall golden leaves from the Medicine Tree are scattered by the winds to the north, to the east, to the south and to the west. As each leaf falls, it brings to earth a blessing from the Great Spirit, a promise that here, the grass shall always grow, and men and beasts shall prosper.”
And now you know how the Medicine Tree Ranch Rodeo at High River got its name…
What a difference a year made at the Canadian National College Finals Rodeo (CNCFR), March 30 – April 1 at Northlands Park in Edmonton! The entries doubled to 100 riders, treating fans to the rising stars of future pro rodeo. Organizers say their participation numbers are directly attributed to the success of last year’s event.
&#Having the CNCFR at Northlands Park has meant a tremendous boost to the entire college rodeo circuit,” says Jim Leitheiser, rodeo coach at Lakeland College. “It’s been a tremendous motivator to get our college guys and gals on the rodeo circuit – just to have a shot at the Finals in Edmonton.”
There was surprisingly rank stock in the chutes. “We had a lot of first-year students in the riding events and they faced some pretty tough bucking horses and bulls,” said Lynn Jensen, Olds College rodeo coach. “I’ve been around rodeo for 30 years and [that] weekend’s rodeo stock would have fit right into the pro circuit.”
Congratulations to the Top College Team – Lakeland Community College, Vermilion, Alta., the Overall Men’s Team – Olds Community College, Olds, Alta. and the Overall Ladies’ Team – Lakeland Community College, Vermilion, Alta.
Plan to attend one of the oldest rodeos in Alberta! It’s definitely Up Close and Personal. Chock-full of entertainment including twelve hours of CPRA-sanctioned rodeo action – plus wagons and chariots, cowboy cabaret, cowboy church, breakfasts, barbeques, concessions, midway, stage entertainment and of course their famous homemade pies in the booth.
Some of the past Hand Hills champions read like rodeo royalty, including Pete Knight, Herman Linder, Dick Cosgrave, Reg Kesler, Winston Bruce, Kenny McLean, Gid Garstad, Iris Glass, Tom Bews, Leo Brown, Rocky Rockabar, Dale Rose, Dave Shields, Davey Shields Jr., Dale Trotter, Brian Claypool, Mel Coleman, Jim Kelts, Jim Dunn, Jerri Duce, Doug Vold, Greg Cassidy, Guy Shapka,
Rod Hay, Monica Wilson… and that’s just a few! For this and more historic rodeo dates such as Dogpound Rodeo and the 98th Annual Murraydale Stampede or other wild and woolly events, go to www.canadiancowboy.ca and click on Western Events.
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Congratulations to popular Canadian Cowboy Country magazine contributor, Tyler Trafford on the release of Alexander’s Way, the second book in the Sun On The Mountains Trilogy. As he did in The Story Of Blue Eye, Tyler has crafted a great spiritual adventure from Hudson Bay to the Bow River. The Story of Blue Eye (Thistledown Press) was a finalist for the 2005 Grant MacEwan Author’s Award. Check your favourite bookstore!
Royal Manitoba Winter Fair Heavy Horse Chair and past participant Wayne Moore has sold eight of his prized Clydesdales to the world famous Anheuser-Busch Clydesdales, better known as the Budweiser hitch. To qualify for one of the travelling hitches, an Anheuser-Busch Clydesdale must be a gelding at least four years of age. He must be 18 hands (6 ft. or 1.8 m); weigh between 1,800 to 2,000 lb. (817 – 907 kg); bay in colour, have four white stockings and a blaze. “They want good conformation because, even though they are treated well, there is a lot of stress on the horses walking the parade routes,” said Jim Poole, the manager of Budweiser Clydesdales. “They work a lot of days.”
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Photo Courtesy Of Anheuser-Busch |
Poole believes Manitoba is a good place to buy Clydesdales and he will be back in the springtime for another shopping trip.
The firm now has 300 horses in five travelling hitches with one permanently at Sea World in Orlando.
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