It was only a few weeks ago that Two Hills’ bull rider Dace Chisan took a scary spill at Bull-A-Rama in St. Paul, but the 19-year-old shook off the dirt and got back on the bull, claiming the buckle at the Canadian National College Finals Rodeo in Edmonton April 4 to 6.
“It means a lot. I couldn’t have done without a bunch of people that were there to help me, my dad and my sponsor and a whole bunch of people who helped me along the way,” Dace said. “I’m very grateful that I had the opportunity to take part in the finals.”
Dace, who was born in St. Paul, claimed the buckle at the CNCFR last weekend by putting up scores of 76 and 71.5, earning him his first finals victory on the back of a bull.
Only two weeks before the CNCFR, Dace reached the short go at St. Paul’s Bull-A-Rama, but a nasty fall left him unconscious and he was taken to hospital.
“I don’t really remember (what happened) to tell you the truth. From what I understand I just kind of came underneath and he stepped on my head and that was it, I was out like a light, sleeping, taking a dirt nap. I woke up in the ambulance, that’s when I started remembering things,” Dace said. “Then I was at the hospital and the people there were really good to me, I’d like to thank them for helping me out.”
Dace’s father Herb Chisan, a former rodeo regular, said the experience was a scary one, but he was happy to see his son come out on top.
“I’ve seen a lot of stuff happen in the arena but it’s scary when I see it happen to my own kid. But the pride outweighs that like you wouldn’t believe, just for him because he’s so happy doing it,” Herb said. “Thank you to the ambulance and the doctors and the nurses for that night. They treated us really well.”
Two weeks later, Dace was back on the bull at CNCFR, and he didn’t miss a beat.
“For a bit there I had a couple of headaches a couple days after but other than that I was feeling pretty good,” Dace said. “I took it pretty easy for the two weeks after that before the finals, and actually finals was my first bull back, I didn’t even get on at practice.”
As a bull rider, Dace is no stranger to harsh falls, and pointed out that earlier in his riding career he suffered an equally scary spill, but never contemplated getting off the bull.
“Back in Grade 10 at a high school rodeo in Ponoka I had broken my collarbone, broke two ribs and bruised my kidney, that was probably the worst time I’ve been hurt,” Dace said, adding he loves bull riding even with its injuries. “It’s just a lifestyle. It makes me happy and I just love to pursue it.”
Dace, who is currently studying to be a land agent at Olds College, said that bull riding takes up the majority of his time outside of school, as he spends countless hours practicing at his father’s house, and getting to and from events.
“At my dad’s house they have their own arena and their own practice bulls, and we’ve got a barrel built by Tyrel Jensen. It’s called a drop barrel, it’s pretty cool,” Dace said, adding that being a bull rider means a lot of driving. “We go sometimes from way up north to all the way back down south in one weekend. So we put on a lot of miles, it’s pretty busy to say the least.”
Herb said it has been a pleasure watching his son develop as a bull rider and claim his first finals belt buckle.
“It’s his dream, so I’d like to see him go as far as he wants to go,” Herb said. “That’s what he loves to do. As long as he can do what he loves to do and be successful at it, it makes me proud as a parent.”
Dace said his endgame is to take his bull riding to the next level and build a career for himself as a cowboy.
“I’d like to make it professionally in bull riding, whether it be at the (Canadian Finals Rodeo) or the (National Finals Rodeo), anywhere in there would be great for me, and to make a living at it would be just perfect,” Dace said.
