Canadian Rockies International Rodeo returns

Times Reporter   

 

Strathmore was the host foThe Bud Light Canadian Rockies International Rodeo and Music festival is returning to Strathmore on the Canada Day weekend. This year marks 21 years for the rodeo, and its sixth year in Strathmore. 

“With Strathmore the facilities are really great, there was lots of room for growth and the town has been terrific. Merchants have been great year in and year out, RCMP, the town council, everyone has been great,” said Drew Davidson, communications director for the Alberta Rockies Gay Rodeo Association (ARGRA).

The rodeo, which is informally known as a ‘gay pride rodeo,’ features all the great things from your typical rodeo, with a fun twist on others. 

The rodeo will run June 27-30, beginning with a rodeo school during the day of the 27. 

“If anyone is wanting to give rodeo a try that is the best opportunity to get your feet wet,” said Davidson.

For the rodeo school goat dressing is new this year, and there will be lessons in steer riding, chute dogging, steer decorating and calf roping on foot. 

“In a way it is kind of phenomenal because at first when it comes to some of the events people are scared, but excited, and then when they are trying it you see the exhilaration, you see their faces and it is quite an exciting thing. A lot of the people that join the rodeo school end up signing up the next day and compete,” said Davidson.

Some of the people in the rodeo school are also seasoned veterans who want to brush up on their skills. Registration will be from 8:30 a.m. to 9 a.m., orientation at 9 a.m. and the school starts at 9:30 a.m. with calf roping on foot. The last event will be goat dressing from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. The cost is $25 per event, and spots fill up fast, so Davidson recommends putting your name in early by signing up online at www.argra.org. The deadline to register is June 23. 

The rodeo itself and festivities will begin at 4:30 p.m. on June 27. 

“For the music festival we are having 18 artists playing throughout the weekend, starting at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. Friday night is the women’s night so all of the acts are female,” said Davidson.

“Saturday is a mixed day of country, pop, there’s some blues with the Smoking Aces, and Sunday is more of our directly country focus.”

The rodeo and music festival are an all-inclusive event, and so the nice thing about it is all of the events are on site, which is different from the other rodeos in their circuit, said Davidson.

“So if someone is camping they don’t have to leave for the entire weekend because we have food trucks, we have retail, we have the rodeo, the dance, the music festival, so you’re never bored because there is always something different to look at.”

On June 27, and the rodeo events officially kick off at 9:30 a.m. on June 28. The Wild Rose Riders equine drill team will lead the grand entry both days. 

Admission for Friday is $10 because it is a shorter day, and is $20 for Saturday and Sunday.

The full schedule of events for both the music festival and the rodeo can be found by going to the ARGRA website at www.argra.org. Anyone who would like to volunteer can e-mail volunteers@argra.org or they can talk to someone at the info booth on the grounds that day, and they will be redirected to the right area.