November 3, 2018 | Red Deer, AB – Today marks a moment in history as Westerner Park & the Red Deer District Chamber of Commerce hosted the first annual Rising Stars Junior Canadian Finals Rodeo event in Red Deer, Alberta. Today’s up-and-coming youth rodeo competitors were showcased for the first time ever, by doing what they do best, at the ENMAX Centrium for CFR Performance #5, sponsored by MNP LLP. These young athletes competed for $24,000 in scholarship money and the title of Rising Stars Junior CFR Champion.
Junior contestants sat and signed autographs for fans an hour before show time, along side the Canadian Finals Rodeo Bareback contestants. Canadian Tie Down Champion, Logan Bird, and World Tie Down Champion, Shane Hanchey, were down in the dirt untying the calves for the Rising Stars Tie Down participants as one of the many #RodeoActsOfKindness displayed at #CFR45.
Young members of the Yule family, based in Red Deer, put on a show for the afternoon crowd with two stunning trick riding performances, which occurred in between contestant events.
The 2018 Rising Stars Junior Canadian Rodeo Champions were Blake Link with a score of 59.0 in Bareback, and Sawyer Eirikson with a score of 70.0 in Saddle Bronc. Tie Down Roping went to Colt Cornet with a time of 9.0, while Pecean Deleeuw finished on top of the Steer Wrestling with a time of 5.0. Team Ropers Kash Sigouin and Carson Payton took the round with a time of 13.8. Kaybree Zunti won the Barrel Racing with a time of 13.56 and Bull Rider William Barrows finished off the performance with a winning score of 71.0.
Following the performance, buckles were presented to the winners by Westerner Park’s interm CEO, Bradley Williams, down in the dirt of the ENMAX Centrium.
The 2018 recipient of the Rising Starts Ambassador Award, sponsored by the Bowden Agricultural Society & Keith Bailey, was Clay Guthrie. Guthrie is known in the community for going above and beyond in showcasing the sport of rodeo. The Rising Stars Ambassador Award was named in honor of the late Darrell Paulovich, who was an avid lover and ambassador of rodeo and kept a special place in his heart for the youth of the sport.
The Rising Stars Junior CFR aims to provide a place for Canadian youth to showcase their rodeo talents in the same arena as the legends they look up to.
Photo Credit: Billie-Jean Duff at Roughstock Studio
For more information please contact:
Ashley Nelson
Marketing & Communications Assistant Manager
P 403.309.0205
E anelson@westernerpark.ca