ST. PAUL – The thundering of hooves and whoops of the crowd echoed off the walls at the St. Paul AG Corral during the 25th Annual High School Rodeo held over the weekend.
From barrel racing to calf roping, the young athletes, hailing from across Alberta, tested their mettle and competed for victory.
Junior high results
The event saw around 150 Grade 7 and 8 students compete, with the junior high school students competing on Friday and kicking of the event.
Easton Holden from Donalda took the top spot for Chute Dogging with a time of 4.5 seconds, while Stran Edge from Marwayne claimed the first spot in the Goat Tying (Boys) event with a time of 13.9 seconds.
Rayelle Rose from Red Deer secured the first position in the Barrel Racing event with a time of 14.354 seconds.
In the Bull Riding event, Chet Meston from Tees, and Jax Torkelson from Warburg tied with 64 points, taking the first and second positions, respectively. Parker Udal and Grace Havens from Bluffton and Madden won the first spot in Ribbon Roping with a time of 15.5 seconds.
Riley Baird from Big Valley secured the first position in the Bareback Steer event with 62 points. Laci Pole from Erskine won the first position in Breakaway Roping (Girls) with a time of 3.0 seconds, while Elias Carr from Thorsby won the first position in Breakaway Roping (Boys) with a time of 2.7 seconds.
Haley Resch from Lousana took the first position in Pole Bending with a time of 21.512 seconds. Ava Boxma from Halkirk claimed the first position in the Goat Tying (Girls) event with a time of 13.2 seconds.
The Team Roping event was won by Graison Duncan and Jackson Nichol from Colinton with a time of 14.6 seconds.
Riley Baird from Big Valley was declared the Boys Hi Point Champion with a total of 80 points, after securing the first position in the Bareback Steer event, second position in the Team Roping event, and fourth position in the Bull Riding event.
Grace Havens from Madden was declared the Girls Hi Point Champion with 60 points, securing first position in the Ribbon Roping event and second position in the Goat Tying event.
Senior high results
As for the senior rodeo winners, involving students from Grades 9 to 12, Keston Loewen from Winfield took first place in Bull Riding with 144 points on two head.
In pole bending, Brooklyn Leer from Ponoka led the pack with 42.167 seconds on two runs, while Brady Schlesiger from Sturgeon County won the Bareback Riding category with 144 points on two runs.
Austin Simpson from Crossfield took first place in Saddle Bronc Riding with 125 points on two head, and Owen Schauer from Halkirk won the Steer Wrestling event with 15.0 seconds on two runs.
The Goat Tying event saw a tie between Keely Pugh from Ponoka and Brynn Freemark from Spruce Grove, both completing in 21.5 seconds on two runs.
In the Cutting - Men's category, Clancy Squair from Clyde took first place with 61 points, while Josslyn Smith from Minburn placed first in the Cutting - Ladies category with 63 points.
Denim Ross from Botha won the tie-down roping event with 22.6 seconds on two runs, and Oakley Tonneson from Ponoka emerged as the Breakaway Roping champion with 5.9 seconds on two runs.
In the Team Roping category, Caleb Fawcett from Stettler and Coy Skockopole from Big Valley won the Header/Heeler event, finishing in 17.7 seconds on two runs. Alexa Gaugler from Bonnyville and Rachel Anderson from Winfield placed third with 27.4 seconds on two runs.
Pyper Lillico from Lloydminster claimed first place for Barrel Racing with 26.478 seconds on two runs. Alexa Gaugler from Bonnyville finished second with 26.5 seconds.
Clancy Squair from Clyde won the Working Cowhorse Competition with 142 points.
The Men’s Hi Point Champion title went to Blake Zieffle from Consort, who achieved 80 points, placing second in Tie Down Roping, also second in Team Roping, and placing third in Steer Wrestling.
Alexa Gaugler from Bonnyville was crowned the Ladies Hi Point Champion with 50 points, placing third in Team Roping and second in Barrel Racing.
Riley Baird from the Big Valley won the Leif Pederson Spirit Award.
Recognition
Brian Pedersen, the rodeo’s chairperson and organizer, and who has also been a member of the St. Paul Ag Society for 25 years, was also recognized for his dedication during the weekend rodeo.
The society’s president Andre Chamberland and director Clem Corbiere presented Pederson with a souvenir buckle.
Pederson said he felt surprised and honoured by the recognition, before crediting all those involved with the rodeo.
“It takes all the members to put on the rodeo, so I feel that recognizing one individual is not really fair to all those involved,” he said.
While he has been the chairperson of the High School Rodeo for 25 years, Pederson said he did it for his love of the sport. “[I] am blessed to have had the backing of the Ag Society.”
