They are little and young. Sometimes just two years old and only two feet tall. But their attitude says they are as tough and ready as any seasoned cowboy.For the second straight year a group of Central Alberta miniature bull riders will join other young Alberta kids in a highly anticipated trip to the Miniature Bucking Bulls World Finals in Lincoln, Nebraska. The world tourney for the relatively new but fast growing sport is set for Sept. 23 and 24.The young bull riders are members of the Canadian Miniature Bull Riding Association (CMBRA), which is based out of Caroline, and owned and operated by Randy and Kyle Graham.The local association has been operating for the past nine years and enlists kids as young as four years old to work out with the club. Kids with CMBRA can compete until they are 14. The CMBRA also accepts girls who usually compete in barrel racing events.The bulls, bred to be miniatures, can range in size from 300 pounds for the younger riders to almost 1,000 pounds for older competitors.ìThe friendships these kids make are amazing, unbelievable,î said Tina Sisson, a CMBRA board member from Spruce View. ìThey compete against each other because they do want to win.ìAt the same time you will see them spotting, giving moral support and pulling each other's ropes so their hands are tight against the bull. Kids want that rope tight so they know they have something to hold onto,î said Sisson, adding a child as young as two years old was bull riding at last year's world finals ñ under supervision, of course. ìThey do this (help each other) so they are safe. I think that their friends end up being more like family than friends, and the parents get to make new friends along the way as well.îLast year CMBRA sent nine kids to the world finals in Nebraska. Although they were up against tough experienced American competition, five Canadians, including locals, made the top 10 in the standings of their class. Two others had a top-20 finish.For this year's world finals the CMBRA is planning on sending 10 young bull riders ñ five in the age 11-to-14 class and another five in the 10-and-under category.In the meantime, the kids are training hard every week leading up to their Nebraska trip. They practise every Tuesday evening at the Dickson Arena. As well, the young bull riders will be competing at four more Dickson shows this summer, as well as half a dozen others in Alberta and beyond before the Canadian finals in September, and of course the world finals in Nebraska.ìMiniature bull riding builds character,î said Sisson. ìFor three years I said, ëHell they (kids) are not going to do it.' But once we got them into miniatures I started saying, ëWhere is the next rodeo?'ìIt keeps them off the streets, and it is no different than any other sport. We use a lot of safety measures,î she added.For more information on the CMBRA, Sisson can be contacted at (403) 754-5511, or Randy Graham at (403) 722-2509.
