Dust off your hats and find your boots

Posted on: J A McRae

Shannon LeClair – Times Reporter

It’s almost time to dust off your cowboy hats and pull on your boots.

The 38th annual Alberta High School Rodeo will be at the rodeo grounds May 22 and 23.

Students grade 9 to 12 will be taking part in events similar to the main rodeo.

“The young cowboys and young cowgirls basically take part in the team roping events,” said Dan Dowler from the Alberta High School Rodeo.

Myrna Johnson’s twins are members of the High School Rodeo Association. This is her sons first-year and her daughters second.

“We are trying to get a few more kids involved,” said Johnson.  

Strathmore is a part of district one and they will host one to 12 different rodeo events during the high school rodeo season.

Points from each of these rodeos accumulate and the top eight contestants from each district will go on to compete in the finals.

“Once you go into the provincial finals you can actually get the chance to go to the national finals and you can have the chance to get to go down to the States,” said Dowler.

The rodeo is funded 100 per cent through donations and sponsorship from town businesses and through the fees collected from contestants.

Any level of talent can participate and “It’s basically to support the members and the club itself can help the kids go to attend some rodeo schools and hone in on some of their skills,” said Dowler. 

In order to participate in the Rodeo, a membership with the Alberta High School Rodeo Association is needed.