To finish first, first you must finish. It's a time-worn adage in the world of auto racing, but it's also just as relevant in rodeo's roughstock events.
The Calgary Stampede's 14th annual Invitational 4-H Rodeo wrapped up its two-day run under the Big Top on Set. 18, after more than 100 youngsters aged 9 through 20, hailing from 30 4-H clubs across the province, descended on the Stampede City.
Under the Big Top arena, timed events were held the Saturday afternoon.
Desirae Jackson of Sundre had a big day Saturday, winning the barrel racing event in the senior (15 to 20) age category with a time of 14.85 seconds and following up with victory in the senior pole-bending event — which involves head-tohead runs, combining slalom racing and straight-out speed — in a time of 19.88 seconds.
Jackson had competed Saturday aboard her 14-year-old quarter-horse gelding Frosty, and on Sunday she earned yet another red ribbon — this time in senior goat tying, a roughstock event — on her cousin's 12-year-old quarter-horse gelding Bush, laying down a nifty time of 11.67 seconds.
“I've been barrel racing and pole-bending most of my life. This year, I've been working hard at it for high school rodeo, which I just started this month,” said Jackson, 15, who's been competing at the Stampede's 4-H Rodeo since 2006.
“It's really tough competition, but I've been placing Top-10 against fields of 70 girls. This weekend, I think, gave me a lot of confidence to take back to high-school rodeo.”
Also Saturday, Breanna Macklin of Sundre won the senior thread-the-needle event — which sees competitors negotiate a tight corridor, circumscribe a pole at the end of the course, and return down the same corridor — in 11.73 seconds.
Dayna Powell of Onaway, Alta., was the thread-the-needle champion in the intermediate (12 to 14) age category in 11.63 seconds, while Megan Rawn of Millarville, Alta., was the junior (9 to 11) thread-the-needle champ in 12.63 seconds.
Miranda Hartung of High River, Alta., won intermediate barrels in 15.16 seconds, while Madelyn Schauer of Halkirk, Alta., prevailed in junior barrels by stopping the clock in 15.05 seconds.
Karlyn Janssen of Lacombe, Alta., earned the intermediate polebending title with a 20.553-second run, and Deshann Valentine of Sundre emerged atop the junior polebending category in 22.05 seconds.
Sunday afternoon, the roughstock events took over the Big Top infield, with M.J. Wowk of Myrnam, Alta., earning a pair of championships — senior cow riding, with a score of 69, and senior breakaway roping, with a formidable time of 6.42 seconds.
“I ranch rodeo, so I do stock saddle-bronc riding and ranch roping. This is my first year riding broncs, and
I really like it. I'd like to do more bronc riding, and see where it takes me,” said Wowk, 16.
Nicole Lausen of Carseland, Alta., and Powell won the Stampede 4-H Rodeo's inaugural steer daubing contest, Lausen claiming the senior category in 1.31 seconds and Powell winning intermediate in 1.49 seconds. Wace Pallesen of Strathmore, Alta., was intermediate cow riding champ with a 71-point ride; Ashton Ewasiuk of Elk Point, Alta., won intermediate goat tying in 12.99 seconds, and followed it up by emerging atop the pack in intermediate breakaway roping in 6.29 seconds.
After it was all over Sunday, Wowk talked about skills accrued, lessons learned, and new friendships gained. “You leave here today and you have to say goodbye,” he noted, “but you also know it's not the
last time. That, to me, is the biggest thing — the people you meet, and the places that'll take you later on in life.”
Adds 4-H Rodeo committee member John Finn: “Every year, after it's all done, we have kids and parents come up to us and thank us for what we're doing. And that's when the point is really driven home to us that we're doing something special. That's what really makes it all worth while.”
