Gleichen Rodeo a family affair for McGonigle pair

Posted on: J A McRae

Laurence Heinen
Times Contributor
 
Last Friday night’s performance at the Gleichen Rodeo kicked off a busy weekend for Strathmore’s Murray and Lynn McGonigle.
While Murray recorded the top time of the night (11.6) in the tie-down roping competition, Lynn raced to a respectable time of 16.48 in ladies barrel racing.
“My wife and I, we usually try to go to about 25 to 30 rodeos in the summer,” said Murray. “We just love rodeoing. We both train our own horses. We love horses and we love what we do at rodeos.”
Like a host of other competitors, the McGonigles also competed at rodeos in Didsbury and Vulcan last weekend.
According to Gleichen Rodeo chairman Ross Wilson, competitors like the fact that there are three rodeos so close together on the same weekend late in the season.
“It makes a good weekend for a lot of cowboys that are getting towards the end of the year trying to make the finals,” Wilson said. “You can win some good prize money between the three rodeos. If you get hot for one weekend, you can move a long ways up the standings.”
While Murray didn’t have success in Didsbury or Vulcan, his time of 11.6 in Gleichen was good enough for an eighth-place showing.
“To be honest I didn’t expect to even win a cheque or place in the top 10 with that, but it looks like they might pay me,” said Murray on a night when he was just one of three of 12 cowboys to record a time. “I’ve been rodeoing for 30-some years and I can’t remember when I’ve seen so many missed calves or calves getting up like that in one session of calf roping.”
Competitors in the slack performance of tie-down roping on Saturday afternoon had much better luck as Joe Lucas of Carstairs recorded a time of 8.3 to take top spot. Stettler’s Curtis Butterfield finished second at 8.8, while Raymond’s Clay Barnson took third with at time of 8.9.
As just the second competitor in ladies barrel racing on Friday night, Big Valley’s K.R. Robinson set an impressive time of 15.70 seconds
“I’m pretty darn happy,” said Robinson shortly after her ride. “My horse Josey worked really good. Your goal is to always do the best you can and your goal is to win, so that’s what you set out to do. We all root for each other and we want each other to do good, but we’ve all got to stay competitive too.”
After 73 more competitors on Friday and Saturday in Gleichen, Robinson’s ride held up as the top time. On Saturday night, Shayna Dodds of Ponoka raced to a time of 15.75 to place her in second, while Bobbi Goodwin of Cranbrook, B.C. finished in third at 15.83.
In junior barrel racing, Arrowwood’s Tara Wilkinson finished first with a time of 15.86, while Cardston’s Taylor Lewis (16.223) edged out Standard’s Teigan Dufour (16.225) for second spot.
In bareback, Skyler Bearchief of Siksika had a ride of 75 on Saturday night to finish in top spot. Ky Marshall of Bowden placed second at 66, while Eric Behlke of Okotoks finished third with a score of 59.
In saddle bronc, Branden Dillerman of Rocky Mountain House had the top ride of 71 points on Saturday night. Innisfail’s Reed Sparks recorded a 68 on Friday to place second, while Consort’s Brendan Laye had a ride of 67 on Saturday to finish third.
The bull riding event proved to be tough for all competitors as Strathmore’s Dustin Wynnyk was the lone competitor to have a successful ride. His score of 57 on Friday was good enough to earn him top spot.
The junior bull riders had much more success on Saturday night as Cadogan’s Billy West recorded 78 points to win the event. Todd Chotowetz of Major, Sask. placed second at 69, while Brant Jones of Consort had a ride of 62 to finish third.
In boys steer riding, Lonnie West of Cadogan recorded the top score of 74 on Saturday, while Shay Marks of Sunnybrook finished right behind him at 72. Dayton Johnston of Milk River finished in third with a ride of 68.
Saturday evening’s performance also produced the top two steer wrestlers as Derek Frank of Stony Plain won the event with a time of 4.1, while Jonny Webb of Okotoks finished right behind him at 4.2. Earlier on Saturday afternoon, Sundre’s Randy Wilson recorded a time of 4.3, which was good enough for third spot. 
Also in the slack performance on Saturday afternoon, Kasper Roy of Mossleigh and Clay Ullery of Red Deer recorded a time of 5.0 to win the team roping competition. Later that night, Brodie McBride of Madden and Wyatt Erickson of Okotoks placed second with a time of 5.2, while Clint Weston of Cardston and Cole Robinson of Okotoks finished third at 5.9.
Strathmore’s Bruce Clayton had a successful rodeo as he placed seventh in the steer wrestling competition with a time of 5.3, while he also teamed with Brett Hirsh of Foremost to place eighth in team roping.
Having helped organize the Gleichen Rodeo since its inception in 2002, Wilson said he’s pleased with how everything went this year.
“Everything ran off pretty smooth,” said Wilson, adding that the rodeo committee is planning a “bigger and better” event for the 10th annual Gleichen Rodeo in 2011. “We’ve grown in the 10 years, so maybe next year we can add some more prize money for the cowboys. Our main goal is we’re putting the rodeo on for the cowboys and for the fans that come and watch.”