Raymond Stampede set to return with pro rodeo

By Al Beeber - Lethbridge Herald on June 4, 2022.

Herald file photo by Tijana Martin Tyler Michelle of Burdett falls off the his steer during the steer riding event as part of the 114th Annual Raymond Stampede.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDabeeber@lethbridgeherald.com

The Raymond Stampede is going back to its roots. For the first time in 43 years, the Stampede will feature a professional rodeo.
This year’s event, running July 1 and 2, will be staged in conjunction with the Canadian Pro Rodeo Association and feature the return of Duane Kesler’s championship rodeo stock. It marks the 120th year of the Stampede.
Many of the top pro cowboys in North America are expected to compete.
After a one-year hiatus due to COVID in 2020, the oldest rodeo in Canada returned last year on July 1 the day pandemic restrictions were lifted.
But for the first time since 1978, the pros will be back in town, said Stampede committee member Robert Heggie on Tuesday.
The stampede was first staged in the Southern Alberta town in 1902 under the direction of founder Raymond Knight with some bucking horse events but it became the professional the year later when prizes were awarded and an entry fee was charged.
The grandstand at the rodeo grounds is considered to be the oldest continuously used in the history of the sport.
Until 1978, the Stampede – a name believed to have been coined by Knight – hosted the professionals but in 1979 the organizing committee decided decided to go with the Chinook Rodeo Association which had been established, said Heggie, and the event stayed connected to that group until this year when an opportunity arose to bring back the pros.
“This year we decided that we needed to improve and we had an opportunity to bring the pros back to town and we jumped on it. Anytime you can bring a professional sport, you gotta look at it and we looked at it and we figured we could make it work with the weekends we had,” said Heggie.
“Hopefully we can draw two good crowds in there,” said Heggie of the Friday and Saturday rodeo dates.
“Usually we always draw a crowd on July 1 but the dates are working out good on a weekend. We’re hoping we can draw a crowd on that second day,’ he said.
The July 1 event starts at 1:30 with Blood Tribe singers and dancers entertaining until 2 then the full rodeo begins.
On July 2, a slack will run for three hours before the main event begins at 2 after another Indigenous performance.
“We’re expecting a lot of people coming home like they used to come home. And we’re expecting maybe on the Saturday” since many people have family events to do on July 1 – the day of Raymond’s traditional annual homecoming – that crowds will be strong on the second day, added Heggie.
“There’s an opportunity for them to come on July 2…we’ll accommodate them on whichever day,” added Heggie.
Events include the wild horse grand entry, kid’s wild pony race and steer riding while major events will be bareback, steer wrestling, team roping, ladies breakaway roping, saddle bronc, tie-down roping, ladies barrel racing and bull riding.
Contestants will be competing for a trophy buckle and prize money of $3,500 as they try to qualify for the showdowns at the Canadian Finals Rodeo in Red Deer on Nov. 2 and the National Finals Dec. 1 in Las Vegas.

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