Strathmore local provincial high school rodeo champion

By John Watson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Strathmore local saddle bronc and bareback rider Clay Greenslade claimed the provincial high school rodeo championship June 3-4 in Stettler. 

Competing in three rounds for saddle bronc during the rodeo, he claimed two second place scores, and a first, which gave him the highest overall score amongst competitors.

“It was a pretty good experience this weekend … this is my first year in high school rodeoing. Before, I have done junior associations and a couple years ago I was in junior high rodeo,” said the 16-year-old. 

Clay explained he has been involved with saddle bronc for the past five years, getting into the sport after starting out riding horses bareback. 

His father, Andy Greenslade, said he is proud to see Clay advance in his skill level and begin to collect his accolades.

“It has been a good experience since we have been watching him grow in the sport over the last five years and he has been accomplishing his goals,” said Greenslade. “Clay trains at home, he has a trainer through the Canadian Pro Rodeo Sports Medicine. He has gone through their training program; we have a bucking machine here at home, he is constantly in the gym, and he goes to rodeo schools.”

Greenslade added developing skill in rodeo sports is effectively a numbers game, and getting on as many horses as you can to learn and improve. 

Previously being involved in pro rodeo as a bareback rider himself, Greenslade decided to hang up his spurs when Clay was an infant, as he did not want to constantly be on the road at the time. 

Over the summer rodeo season, Clay intends to attend several amateur associations and rodeos across the province to compete in bareback and saddle bronc. 

Come August, he will be in Brandon, Man. for the Canadian High School Rodeo Finals.

“I am always excited about it and I just always want to keep doing it,” said Clay. “I want to be the best that I can be and just keep having fun.” 

Back in 2021, Clay also claimed the senior all around world champion title from the YETI Junior Roughstock World Finals in Las Vegas.

At the time, he has also qualified for the Canadian Junior High Finals, which took place in Swift Current. There, he took home a silver in bareback. 

Similar to his father before him, Clay intends to eventually pick up his pro rodeo card and compete at a much larger scale in rodeo sports.