High School Rodeo had no Strathmore competitors

Times Reporter  

 

The Strathmore High School Rodeo has existed since 1971, having competitors come from as far as British Columbia. This was President and Coordinator Lorne Lausen’s fourteenth year in charge, and though no Strathmore kids were involved this past weekend, Lausen has hope for upcoming years. 

“Right now there are no club members in Strathmore,” Lausen said. “But in the future there’s probably 10 of them coming up in the next few years, it’ll be a real healthy club again. That’s kind of the way high school rodeo goes, it has its ups and downs.”

The numbers fluctuate as high as 12 Strathmore kids in the club, to as little as one or two (or none this year).

“But if we don’t keep it going on the years that we don’t have many, it’s not going to be going for the kids when we do have lots of them again.” Lausen said. “That’s where my dedication comes from. I’ve got to keep it going now because there will be a big club again.”

Some close-by-town participants included: Cody Stinnissen and Austin Aleman averaging third in team roping, Matea Lloyd averaging goat roping in seventh place, and Tara Wilkinson finishing third on the barrels’ average. Most notably, Devin Wigemyr and Sloan Smith of Southern Alberta finished first in the average of team roping. 

“They’re pretty consistent boys as it is,” said Rodeo Secretary Carla Nott of Wigemyr and Smith. “They rope pretty aggressively so that explains why they end up in the top of the pack every time.”

Roughly 40 volunteers are needed to assist with the event, and each year the rodeo is sponsored to avoid fees for the crowd.

“A lot of the towns charge gate admission but I’ve always said that the parents have to haul the kids around, I don’t like to charge for gate admission or programs,” Lausen said.