This year’s Rough Stock Rodeo, presented by the Sedgewick Ag. Society, returned to a one-day event, and added some terrific talent to the start and middle of the event for a very entertaining day, on Sunday, Aug. 23.

The rodeo started with the extremely athletic and talented Graham Sisters Trick Riding act, with the young girls going first and executing perfect tricks that most of the rest of us wouldn’t be able to do at all, let alone on a moving horse.

The Graham sisters followed, and lived up to their nicknames, ‘Cowgirl Poetry in Motion.’

Executed at top speed, the older girls defied gravity to entertain the crowd.

Action then moved to the Saddlebronc, with this season’s top cowboys competing for the $500 purse and jacket, as well as an opportunity to move up in the ranks with a successful ride.

As we’ve seen in previous years, the Big Country stock proved the equal, and in some cases the better, of this year’s contestants.

Heading into the Saddle Bronc finals were Tyrel Fouhse, Reining Novice Champ; Clay Creasy, Kolby Wanchuk, and Mike Gordon, with Wanchuk scoring a 79 on Devil’s Darling to take the winning ride.

The bull riders came up against some new bulls who showed they might have a future, and some old favourites, like Ugly, Bad Motorscooter, Large Marvin, and more. The wins for the bulls were higher than for the riders Sunday.

Top rider Cody Coverchuk, from Meadow Lake, Sask. who scored an 82 on ‘Short Notice,’ declined to ride again in the final four, letting his score stand against Jeff Hudson, Jordon Arbethnot, Wyatt Laughlin, and Dustin Glenn and their second rides.

His bet paid off as some of the raunchiest bulls of the day upended all four, leaving Coverchuk with the best score of the day.

Top riders are pictured on Page 15 of the August 25 edition of the ‘Press, available on newsstands now!

The intermission show feature Niki Flundra with her bridle-less horse act, controlling three horses with mere hand gestures and taking them through a variety of tricks.

One lucky 50/50 winner took home more than $500.

With the biggest crowd ever, and a sunny sky, this year’s rodeo has to have been considered a big success by the Ag. Society.

Along with rodeo action, the day started with a pancake breakfast, and included a trade show at the Rec. Centre in the arena, and the third annual car show on the grounds that featured some very unique vehicles.

Another recent tradition is the ‘blow up’ car, where participants buy squares on a chart to try and determine how long a car will run with no water or oil.

Kids activities kept the little ones busy before the show, and a record number of little cow-pokes stepped up to the plate for Mutton Bustin’.