Vermilion hosts High School Rodeo

Vermilion played host to a High School Rodeo last week, showing that rodeo events are alive and well in communities this summer. 

The Alberta High School Rodeo Association District 2 event saw the junior rodeo on May 6th, while the high schoolers performed on May 7 and 8 all at Lakeland College. 

Events held at the rodeos are: barrels, tie down roping, breakaway roping, goat tying, steer wrestling, poles, saddle bronc, bareback, bull riding, ribbon roping, chute dogging, working cowhorse and cutting. 

This High School rodeo was the first to happen in 2 years, explained Carla Pocock. 

Many committees received exemptions through COVID and were able to hold high school rodeos with restrictions, however, Vermilion was not able to do that.

This rodeo ended up being extra special, said Pocock. 

“Not only was it our first rodeo in Vermilion since the pandemic, but also a very special donation was made from Dick Hines in memory of Denny Hines. There was $1000 added to a boy and girl high point for the junior high rodeo held on Friday. And an extra $1000 per event added to the average in every event,” said Pocock. 

“This was very generous of Dick and was a wonderful way to memorialize Denny Hines. It meant so much to all of us,” she said. 

The district area covers the central area of Alberta and is encompasses quite a vast collection of communities. 

District 2 covers the central area of our province and holds spring rodeos for the kids in St. Paul, Vermilion, Stettler, Thorsby, Brooks, Ponoka and Lindale.

Some of the rodeo athletes from the surrounding area included: 

Junior High:

• Wiley Cumming from Viking (breakaway, heeling, ribbon roper)
• Sterling Cumming from Viking (goats, breakaway)
• Ally Pocock from Minburn (breakaway, barrels and poles)
• Whitney Fletcher from Wainwright (barrels, poles and goats)
• Suttyn Volz from Marwayne (breakaway, goats, ribbons, and barrels)
• Rowen Littau- from Viking (breakaway, team roping) heeler
• Grady Littau- from Viking (roping) header
• Kayden Horn from Amisk (barrels, goat tying and poles)
• Ryan McGillivray from Provost (goat tying, barrels and poles)
• Kenzie McGillivray from Provost (goat tying, barrels and poles)
• Stran Edge from Marwayne (ribbon roping, breakaway, chute dogging, goat tying, team roping, bull riding)

High School:

• Charlee Edge from Marwayne in (breakaway, barrels, team roping and poles)
• Lakota Bowers from Ardmore in (goat tying)
• Rianna Fletcher from Wainwright in (barrels, poles, team roping and breakaway roping)
• Trinity Keebaugh from Lloydminster in (barrels and poles)
• Piper Lillico from Lloydminster in (barrels and poles)
• Kaliegh Clark from Edgerton in Barrels (poles, team roping, breakaway roping)
• Owen Harder from Mannville in Team (roping, tie down, steer wrestling)
• Reece Pocock from Minburn in Team (roping and tie down roping)
• Cash Littua from Viking (roping, tie down)
• Sara Fletcher from Wainwright (poles, breakaway, team roping)
• Avery Sardoff from Wainwright (breakaway, goat typing, team roping) heeler

With files from Carla Pocock.