It’s time to dust off those cowboy boots and gear up for a weekend full of rodeo events at the Airdrie Rodeo Grounds on Canada Day weekend.
Airdrie Pro Rodeo marketing director, Lorie Young, says the committee is currently planning a free Family Fun Day for the first time this year on June 30.
The day will include slack rodeo performances, which showcase the overflow of contestants unable to get into the pro rodeo, and will include timed events like tie-down roping, steer wrestling, ladies barrel racing and team roping.
“When I watched slack my first time, many moons ago, I found it just as interesting as the actual rodeo performances we have,” says Young. “What I found most impressive was how they encouraged each other and how they gave each other information on the stock. You see some great rides with these guys.”
The committee is also planning on bringing in a junior rodeo for Family Fun Day and there will be food trucks, local vendors selling a variety of goods and a cabaret showcasing local talent that evening. The committee has teamed up with Balzac Craft Brewing Company to sell the brewery’s craft beer at the grounds this year.
“I’m actually quite excited for this because we get to showcase different aspects of the rodeo, which I don’t think many people realize that we do have,” says Young.
The weekend will also include pro rodeo performances on June 28, 29 and July 1, which will showcase team roping, bareback riding, bull riding, saddle bronc, steer wrestling, ladies barrel racing and tie-down roping.
There will be a junior rodeo June 28 with mutton busting, sheep scramble, calf scramble, barrel racing and wild pony races.
This will be the second year the rodeo is hosting a marketplace to showcase local vendors throughout the weekend. There will also be a cabaret on the evening of June 29, with Airdrie country singer, Brandon Lorenzo, headlining the event.
Several activities for children will take place on the grounds throughout the weekend, as well, such as face painting and a petting zoo, and mini chuckwagon rides with ponies.
Tickets can be purchased online or at the rodeo grounds. They are $25 for adults and $20 for youth and seniors. Kids under 10 are free.
“We have Canadian champions come out and we have guys from the United States come up to our rodeo, so we will have the best of the best of cowboys and cowgirls for you to watch,” says Young. “You will be entertained, for sure.”
For more information, visit airdrieprorodeo.com or Airdrie Pro Rodeo on Facebook.
