CANADIAN HIGH SCHOOL RODEO FINALS
IN JULY, HUNDREDS of rodeo athletes converged in Swift Current, Sask., to compete in the Canadian Junior High & High School Rodeo Finals.
The three-day event was the end goal of a year-long schedule of rodeo competitions for school-aged rodeo athletes from British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Some 320 students made up 555 entries; many qualified in more than one event.
The champions were declared after three long rounds of competition in Bareback Riding (BB), Barrel Racing (LBR), Breakaway Roping (BAW), Tie-Down Roping (TDR), Team Roping (TR), Saddle Bronc Riding (SB), Goat Tying (GT), Pole Bending (PB), Steer Wrestling (SW) and Bull Riding (BR), plus Girls and Boys Cutting (GCH & BCH), and mixed Reined Cow Horse (RCH). In the Junior High division, there were all of the same events, plus Chute Dogging (CD), Girls & Boys Goat Tying (GGT & BGT), Ribbon Roping (R.R.) and Boys Breakaway Roping (BBAW).
Along with contestants, there was a wealth of rodeo royalty on hand.
“This is a Canadian title, a national title. This is a very big deal for all of our contestants; they have been competing year-round for this,” said Alberta’s High School Rodeo Queen, Tawnie Thompson.
More than buckles were on the line, as scholarships and some CPRA rookie permits were also awarded.
The contestants also earned high praise from unexpected sources, most noticeably from the on-site food trucks. “They were the best bunch of kids in the world,” described one of the food truck owners. “Yes, I’ve never met so many polite, well-mannered kids in my life,” affirmed another veteran cook. “It was incredible.”
Congratulations, all — and here are the 2022 Champions!
2022 JUNIOR HIGH CHAMPIONS: RR: Caleb Fawcett & Keeley Pugh, TDR: Kade Strandquist, TR: Roan Heck/Cruz Lillico, SB: Hunter Sippola, PB: Georgia Stranaghan, GGT: Ashlyn Wade, BAW: Keeley Pugh, CD: Mavrik Studley, BR: Jett Lockie, BGT: Luke Hronek, BBAW: Jett Powelson, LBR: Kate Beierbach, BB: Riley Baird.
2022 HIGH SCHOOL CHAMPIONS: TDR: Coy Skocdopole, TR: Rylan Brost/ Houston Long, SW: Coy Skocdopole, SB: Jordan Cust, PB: Macie-Rae Warken, GT: Lara Beierbach, BR: Trinity Bear, BAW: Macie-Rae Warken, LBR: Lily Wilson, BB: Jackson Lunn, BRC: Zadee Chapman, GCH: Cassidy Hudacek, BCH: Clay Farmer.