Strong host of cowboys/cowgirls at Stampede

By Adelle Ellis, Times Reporter

Residents of Strathmore and area will be able to cheer on and watch plenty of local competitors partake in some rodeo action during the 2019 Strathmore Stampede.
This year, 15 residents from the area have entered events ranging from novice events to roping and taking on the saddle broncs.
As of July 26, the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association (CPRA) standings show Griffin Koester from Rockyford sitting second in the steer riding division followed by Arrowwood’s Beau Gardner in fifth. Koester will ride in Strathmore on Aug. 3 at 1 p.m. and Gardner will ride on Aug. 4 at 1 p.m.
Novice bareback rider Sam Church from Strathmore is in fourth place and will be riding Xecutive News in Strathmore on Aug. 3 at 1 p.m.
Dalemead’s Rebecca Miller, currently 23rd in the CPRA ladies barrel racing standings, will be riding during the slack performance at 8 a.m. on Aug. 2.
Denver Roy from Dalemead will wrestle his 25th steer of the season on Aug. 3 at 1 p.m. with the hopes of moving up in standings, currently in 24th place for steer wrestling.
Currently in 16th place in the CPRA saddle bronc standings, Kole Aschbacher from Arrowwood hopes to break into the top 10 following his ride on Aug. 4 at 1 p.m.
Two locals will be performing in the tie-down roping slack performance on Aug. 2 at 8 a.m.: Shawn Miller from Dalemead, who is not represented in the CPRA standings, and Dawson Johnson from Strathmore who currently sits in 29th place.
Team roping is heavily represented this year with seven teams containing local competitors. On Aug. 2 during the slack performance at 8 a.m., Wace Pallesen from Strathmore will compete with his partner Scott Duff from Millarville. Also competing is header Matthew Gingras from Strathmore with his partner and heeler Rhett Haveroen from Edgerton.
Header Doug Wilkinson from Arrowwood will be competing during the 1 p.m. rodeo on Aug. 2 with heeler Joe Guze from Drayton Valley. On Aug. 4 at 1 p.m., both heeler Kasper Roy from Mossleigh with header Kal Fuller from Bozeman, Mont. – currently both in eighth place for their respective positions – and heeler Jeremy Buhler from Arrowwood with header Kolton Schmidt from Barrhead will compete.
On the last day of the Strathmore Stampede, Aug. 5 at 3 p.m. Strathmore will be represented by two local team roping headers. Denver Johnson, currently in 14th place, will be working with his partner, heeler Tristin Woolsey from Nanton. Riley Roy, currently in 20th place, will be heading for his partner and heeler Joey Romo II, also from Nanton.
Missing this year from the rodeo draw is Strathmore’s world-famous bull rider and local legend Scott Schiffner, who announced his retirement at the 2018 Calgary Stampede following over a 20-year professional bull riding career. Schiffner covered his last bull in the 2018 Strathmore Stampede, scoring him 86 points to win a tie and share the fourth place standing in Strathmore.
No local bull riders will be competing this year, nor bareback competitors.