2013 Pincher Creek High School Rodeo a showcase for rising talent

Cowley's Raelyn Rutledge Pole Bending
T. Lucas photos

Toni Lucas and Chris Davis, Pincher Creek Voice

The weather was beautifully bright and sunny for the Alberta High School Rodeo Association's first rodeo of the season,  held in Pincher Creek, Alberta on Saturday August 31 and Sunday September 1, 2013.

Contestants from Division 1 (south of Calgary), came to compete and to start building up their points towards the Alberta High School Rodeo Finals that will be held in Ponoka in June 2014.

"It's a great day for it," said Pincher Creek Rodeo Club Secretary Cathy Mitchell. According to Mitchell Pincher Creek has been involved in High School Rodeo for at least two decades. Although the competition for points is fierce, contestants usually get along with each other and have a friendly camaraderie behind the scenes, visiting and talk to each other while waiting for their next events, and helping out wherever needed.

The events of the weekend included Pole Bending, Bareback Riding, Saddle Bronc Riding, Breakaway Roping, Tie down roping, Goat Tying, Bull Riding, Steer Wrestling, Team Roping, Barrel Racing and both Boys and Girls cutting.

Area locals Robyn Lively, Morgan Michalsky, Sam Mitchell, Jack Mitchell, K's Thomson

Local participants included Robyn Lively, Raelyn Rutledge, Abby Zur, Cooper Zur, Britnie Zur, Sam Mitchell, Jack Mitchell, Chase Keeley, and Morgan Michalsky.

Cooper Zur

With an extremely successful 2013/13 season behind him, all eyes were on Cooper Zur in the Bull Riding event, and he most certainly did not disappoint, having a tough first ride on Saturday followed by a better do-over and then a crowd-thrilling turn on Sunday to take first place after also being the only one to qualify. "This is my fourth year," said Zur.   Last season he made it into the Nationals Competition.  "I'm hoping to do better this year," he said.   Cooper is starting grade 11 at Livingstone School this week.  He's a young man of few words, but we've known him since he was eyeball high to a feed sack, give or take, and he's always been tenacious and determined.  He also competed in the Team Roping event with Lundbreck's Morgan Michalsky.

Abby Zur

Cooper's a triplet, and his sisters Britnie and Abby put in a couple of long days at the rodeo as well.  Abby competed in Pole Bending, Goat Tying, Team Roping with Shelby Smith, and Barrels.  Britnie competed in Goat tying, Team Roping with Madison Wright, and Barrels. No top scores, but some convincing efforts.

Britnie Zur

Cowley's Raelyn Rutledge competed in Pole Bending and Barrels. Her Barrels run on Sunday was quite excellent, putting her in fourth place for a while.  When it was all done she was a bit wistful that this would be her last hometown rodeo for a while. 

Sam and Jack Mitchell

Twin Butte's Mitchell brothers Sam and Jack make quite the team. "We've been doing all right. This is the first one, gotta knock the rest off," said older brother Sam. Jack has been competing in Junior Rodeo for two years, and has just started High School Rodeo. Sam qualified for the Provincials in Saddle Bronc and Cutting last season has just started his third year in High School rodeo.  Although they met with repeated disappointments at this rodeo, they were the only ones with the gumption to give Steer Wrestling go and put on a good show for the crowd.  These two are going to go far.

Saddle Bronc rider Chase Keeley had a tough go of it on Saturday, sustaining an injury and having to skip Sunday's event.  There were no qualified entries in the Saddle Bronc event all weekend.  Some tough horses!

Nanton's Lakota Bird was the cowgirl to beat all weekend.  She took first in Girls Cutting and in Team Roping with Rayna Longeway, second in Breakaway Roping, and third in Pole Bending.  Longeway is another formidable competitor,  She placed second in Breakaway Roping and third in Cutting. Cardston's Tacee Shaw was a marvel as well, definitively winning the Barrel Racing event near the conclusion of the rodeo and also taking third in Breakaway Roping.

Rayne Bruised Head from Standoff

Standoff's Rayne Bruised Head didn't make it to the top of the standings, but she was nevertheless outstanding in several events.  A champion in the making. 

Altie Rutledge Memorial Trophy

All of the Pincher Creek area participants were in the running for the annual Altie Rutledge Memorial Trophy. This award is presented to the local High Point contestant. A dedicated rodeo volunteer who passed away in 1989, Rutledge is remembered through this trophy that salutes the efforts of local young rodeo contestants. "He volunteered his time and equipment so rodeos could go on," said nephew Steve Rutledge. Altie was heavily involved with the fondly remembered Cowley/Lundbreck Rodeo.  The award was given to Pincher Creek's Robyn Lively, who cinched it with a second place finish in the Girls Cutting event and a superb Poles run on Sunday.  Lively also competed in Pole Bending, Team Roping with Fallon Nelson and Breakaway Roping.  A multi-talented cowgirl.

Robin Lively

Most of these athletes will be participating in the Nanton High School Rodeo this weekend on September 7 and 8.

2013 Pincher Creek High School Rodeo Results (unofficial):

Altie Rutledge Memorial Award for local High Points: Robin Lively (Poles and Cutting)

Girls Cutting
1 Lakota Bird, Nanton
2 Robyn Lively, Pincher Creek
3 Rayna Longeway, Calgary
4 Alina Johns, Turner Valley
5 Shelby Stewart, High River

Boys Cutting 
1/2 Sloan Smith, Blackie and Stran Schlosser, Nanton
3 Logan Warren, High River
4 Jake Burwash, Nanton
5 Lochlan Christianson, Nanton

Team Roping
1 Lakota Bird, Nanton and Rayna Longeway, Calgary
2 Logan Biever, Claresholm and Jenna Dallyn, Nanton
3 Stran Schlosser and Lochlan Christianson, Nanton
4 Sloan Smith, Blackie and Clayton Smith, Eckville

Goat Tying
1 Matea Lloyd, Okotoks
2 Jenna Dallyn, Nanton
3 Martina Vergouwen, Strathmore
4 Simone Park, Creston

Tie Down Roping
1 Clayton Smith

2 Jake Burwash 

3 Austin Wever

Breakaway Roping
1 Caitlin Park, Creston
2 Lakota Bird, Nanton
3 Tacee Shaw, Cardston
4 Bailey Cahoon, Cardston

Pole Bending
1 Shantal Smith, High River
2 Shaylee Sommerfeld, Creston
3 Lakota Bird, Nanton
4 Shayla Deeton, Cochrane
5 Nichole Tremblay, Calgary

Barrel Racing
1 Tacee Shaw, Cardston
2 Eryn Coy, High River

Bareback
1 Lane Link, Maple Creek

Saddle Bronc
1 Jans Nolan, Maple Creek

Bull Riding
1 Cooper Zur, Lundbreck

Related stories:
Athlete of the Day September 2, 2013: Cooper Zur
Athlete of the Day September 4, 2013: Robyn Lively

Jace Doenz