At the Rodeo!!

Dave and I went to the opening night of the Canadian National Finals Rodeo Wednesday evening, held in Rexall Place. We sat in the nosebleeds seats--that's the catch for the reduced in price tickets for Northlands volunteers!! But there is a section that is even higher up--there you have to fight off the pigeons!! Hahaha!! We had a good time--I looove rodeos!!! And even though they have added more kitchy elements to this rodeo to make it more like the National Finals in Las Vegas, once the actual events began, it was a darn good rodeo.  Mind you, outdoor rodeos are still the best!!

While most of the cowboys were from Alberta, of course, there was a smattering from B.C. and Saskatchewan and even one from Ontario.  There were a number of American cowboys there too with the biggest group in Tie-Down Roping. Highlights for me included seeing Scandia, Alberta's Alwin Bouchard take the Tie-Down Roping event so quickly and quietly, that a lot of people didn't even catch it! With a score of 8.1 he beat out Decatur, Texas' Tuf Cooper and Spanish Fork, Utah's Clint Robinson. Alwin wears glasses too!!  I also whooped and hollered and clapped for Sierra Stoney as she  took first place in Ladies Barrel Racing with a 14.53.  I always cheer for Native cowboys and cowgirls--it's a lot harder for them to make it in the big circuits. And the best event was a demonstration of speed riding and shooting. A gal from Australia and 2 brothers from the USA put on the demonstration and it was fantastic.  They are all world class, top winners in the event.  I love target shooting ( my fave firearm is a good old 22) and if I may blow my own horn a little--am really good at it. But on a galloping horse firing a rifle with one hand!! Wow!! So exciting and pretty impressive.

Sitting so high up, it was hard to get good pictures and by the time I wised up and started taking videos, my camera was running out of juice. But here are some pictures and video from the evening.


For the first time in the history of the Canadian Finals, the contestants were handed their back numbers in a special ceremony.



Coming off a bull!!



I just had to take a picture of the blond with several bird's nests and mops in her hair!!!  What was she thinking? And has no one told her what her hair looks like? Eeeeee!!



The Miss Rodeo Canada 2011 Contestants



The 2 brothers in a contest of riding and shooting.