Last Cowboy Standing awarded BRC Event of the Year
By John Watson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Photo courtesy of Cale Pribyl
Last Cowboy Standing, hosted by Lazy P Rodeo Company was awarded the Bull Riders Canada (BRC) Event of the Year Award at the conclusion of the Bull Riders Canada Finals.
“It is (very exciting); this is our second time winning this award, our first time being in 2022, and then we were runners up in 2021 and 2023,” said Cale Pribyl, CEO of Lazy P Rodeo Company. “It is a great achievement to be recognized by the association … It is a huge feather in our cap for sure. There are over 50-some events each season in the Bull Riders Canada schedule, so to be crowned the top event over those (others) definitely shows that… people are seeing the hard work and creativity we are putting in.”
Pribyl explained the award is voted on by all Bull Riders Canada association members, which includes everyone with a BRC pro rodeo card. These members include riders, judges, secretaries, announcers, contractors, and others who are relevant to the professional rodeo circuit.
Attributions to the event’s success include upgrades made to the Strathmore and District Agricultural Society grounds, such as the new infield suites, community, and sponsor support.
Last Cowboy Standing is a Bull Riders Canada sanctioned event which premiered in 2021, utilizing an “Iron Cowboy” format. This refers to an elimination style competition consisting of three rounds.
Riders are eliminated based on their performance times throughout the course of the event. The rider who boasts the highest times and/ or the highest scores after riding three bulls is crowned the victor.
“The prize money has been increasing, as well as our entries have been going up and up since we first started. This year alone we had 39 guys enter. We only took 30 due to sizes and budgets,” explained Pribyl. “The support of the community and the attendance has been growing. I think when we first started there were two or three hundred people in here and then this year, we were close to about 1,000 spectators.”
He added the ongoing goal for the Last Cowboy Standing will be to maintain the consistency of the event, and to ensure both the spectators and the sponsors will be getting great value out of their experience.
Putting more money into the prize pots, continuing to grow attendance numbers, and exploring the potential to eventually see Last Cowboy Standing becoming a two-day event are also evolutionary aspects Pribyl has on his radar.
Colin Forster of TFB Ranch, a contractor local to Strathmore was also recognized during the award ceremony for the Bull of the Year award at the Bull Riders Canada finals.