COWBOY CANADIAN
COUNTRY
DALLAS PRINCE
From Elite Soldier to Saddlemaker
plus
BRAD HOLT
Serene Prairie Landscapes
COTTONWOOD LIVESTOCK
Cactus & Conservation PM# 40070720
OCT/NOV 2023 • $6.95
RODEO’S WANCHUK FAMILY
Broncs, Barrels & Buckles
CONTENTS OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2023 | VOLUME 27, NO.3
FEATURES
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17 A RTS & CULTURE
Artist Brad Holt creates serene prairie art framed in nostalgic architectural details
22 T RAILBLAZER
ALEXANDER ROSS
Honouring the photographer who captured some of the iconic images of Canada
41 R ODEO’S WANCHUK FAMILY Barrels, broncs, calves and clowning, the Wanchuks have it covered
33 W HAT WORKS FOR US
There’s no quit in Cottonwood Livestock as they brave rattlesnakes and drought
DEPARTMENTS
ON THE COVER: Page 24 Dallas Prince, a much-decorated Special Forces soldier, retired with a chestful of medals to live his dream of being a saddlemaker
@cowboycountrymag cowboycountrymagazine.com
@CowboyCntryMag
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MY POINT OF VIEW
7
IN THE CORRAL
13
BOOK REVIEW
13
GIDDY UP
14
SPIRIT OF THE WEST
15
WHEEL TO WHEEL
16
REFLECTIONS
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IN STYLE
28
WESTERN COLLECTOR
30
COUNTRY COOKING
32
COWBOY WAY
38
RODEO LIFE
45
PRO RODEO CANADA INSIDER
51
ROAD TO THE CFR
52
CLOWNIN’ AROUND
54
COWBOY POETRY
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October/November 2023 Vol. 27, No. 3
Proud Member of the Canadian Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame Publisher Rob Tanner rob@cowboycountrymagazine.com Editor Terri Mason terri@cowboycountrymagazine.com Field Editor Craig Coulliard craig@cowboycountrymagazine.com Art Director Shannon Swanson shannon@cowboycountrymagazine.com Sales Manager Kristine Wickheim kristine@cowboycountrymagazine.com Subscription/Circulation Marie Tanner circ @cowboycountrymagazine.com Accounting/Administrator Marie Tanner admin@cowboycountrymagazine Columnists Tim Ellis, Fred Hauck, Malcolm MacLean, Hugh McLennan, Billy Melville, Greg Shannon, Bryn Thiessen Contributors Bill Borgwardt, CrAsh Cooper, Tim Ellis, Tim Lasiuta, John Phillips, Barb & Dave Poulsen Tanner Young Publishing Group Box 13, 22106 South Cooking Lake Road Cooking Lake, AB T8E 1J1 Tel: 780-465-3362 | Toll Free: 1-800-943-7336 Website: cowboycountrymagazine.com E-mail: askus @cowboycountrymagazine.com
SUBSCRIPTIONS: Call Marie at 1-800-943-7336 1 Year: $29.00 incl. tax | 2 Years: $46.00 incl. tax Single Copy: $6.95 + tax Canadian Cowboy Country magazine is published six times per year by Tanner Young Publishing Group
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THE SPIRIT OF THE WEST
“Radio Program”
Ride through the Rangeland of the West every week
with Hugh McLennan
Celebrating over 30 YEARS
PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40070720 ISSN 1701-1132 Please return undeliverable addresses to: Canadian Cowboy Country Magazine c/o Tanner Young Publishing Group Administration Office Box 13, 22106 South Cooking Lake Road Cooking Lake, AB T8E 1J1 FREELANCE POLICY Canadian Cowboy Country welcomes freelance contributions but will not be held responsible for unsolicited text or photographs. Direct all freelance enquiries to: freelance@cowboycountrymagazine.com PRIVACY POLICY At Tanner Young Publishing Group, we value your privacy. For our complete privacy policy go to tanneryoung.com/privacy.html or call us at 1-800-943-7336 Canadian Cowboy Country makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information it publishes, but cannot be held responsible for any consequences arising from errors or omissions. This magazine is a proud member of the Alberta Magazine Publishers Association, and Magazines Canada, abiding by the standards of the Canadian Society of Magazine Editors. Visit albertamagazines.com
of Stories Great Western Music Horse Training Advice And much more
“This project is funded [in part] by the Government of Canada.” «Ce projet est financé [en partie] par le gouvernement du Canada.»
Hear it on your favourite radio station or on demand at Hugh-McLennan.com Check out the new Spirit of the West Facebook page too! 4
Canadian Cowboy Country October/November 2023
MY POINT OF VIEW
W
A New Life
e call the countryside of the ranchOct/Nov lands of the sprawling issue our Cottonwood Livestock near ChampiMedicine Hat. Drought, onship edition, but it’s so rattlesnakes and scorpions much more than that. are tough on cattle and The Championship monhorses, but the bright spot is iker is related directly to the the Forbes family’s lifelong Canadian Finals Rodeo and friendship with the British the Miss Rodeo Canada promilitary at Suffield. It has gram and all of the gifts and probably done more for honours bestowed on the international relations than new title holders. They’ve any diplomat. all competed to the best of This issue is also about their ability, but there’s only those who laid it all on Left: Marcie Erick of Ranger one winner per event. The the line, not in a game Quilts presented this quilt other competitors get someor sport, but in war. It to RCMP Sergeant Greg thing out of it; day money gives me great pleasure to Toogood. Ranger Quilts is a and bragging rights, because introduce my new friend, non-profit organization that not everyone earns the right Dallas Prince, who earned focuses on providing quilts to to compete in the big show. his medals one conflict people in the Veteran and First Responder communities. One family who has at a time as a soldier and either competed or cavorted leader in Canada’s elite in one end of the arena or military Special Forces the other is the Wanchuk family. We share during his four tours of duty in Afghanithe whole family’s story and Ricky Ticky’s stan. His story is one of choices — how long walk to Entertainer of the Year. they led him through many dangers to his Sometimes success is being in the right new life in his quiet saddle shop on the place at the right time, and our Trailblazer edge of the Rockies — here in Canadian is one such man. Here in Canada, in every Cowboy Country. history book and online, we still see the work of photographer Alexander Ross, the man who captured The Last Spike. We also have stories of grit. One such — Terri Mason, Editor tale recounts the beautiful but fragile
PHOTOS COURTESY MARCIE ERICK; TERRI MASON
THANK YOU! This issue is the last issue for our Pro Rodeo Insider. I would like to personally thank the CPRA for the many years of support. It has been and will continue to be, a relationship that we cherish. So now what? Canadian Cowboy Country Magazine's future plans include — continued support of rodeo with stories of the cowboys, rodeo families, stock contractors, rodeo committees and the many volunteers behind the scenes. We wish CPRA every success in its new direction. Rob Rob Tanner, President & Group Publisher Tanner Young Publishing Group
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CONTRIBUTORS
MALCOLM MACLEAN
TIM LASIUTA
TIM ELLIS
Malcolm MacLean has earned his spurs as a working cowboy, a talented event organizer, cowboy singer and songwriter, and an inventor of ranchy things that really work. Malcolm mainly cowboys for grazing co-ops, large ranches and feedlots in southern Alberta.
Tim Lasiuta is a B-Western/film aficionado and is considered one of the preeminent Lone Ranger experts. He has authored over 50 articles on the Golden Age of Hollywood and the denizens of Gower Gulch, from Dennis Weaver to Dale Evans.
Tim Ellis is a long-time columnist for Canadian Cowboy and has been covering rodeo for over 30 years. He produces the daily RAM Rodeo Reports and broadcasts live coverage of the Canadian Finals Rodeo on 840 CFCW. Tim and his wife, Barb, live near Hay Lakes, Alta.
Cowboy Way — Wreck Knife, page 32
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Trailblazer – Alexander Ross, page 22
Rodeo’s Wanchuk Family, page 41
Canadian Cowboy Country October/November 2023
IN THE CORRAL //// EVENTS & HAPPENINGS ACROSS THE WEST ////
FAREWELL, AND THANK YOU
The reign of Miss Rodeo Canada Mackenzie Skeels is coming to a close with just two more official duties — the opening of the Canadian Finals Rodeo and the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas.
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FEATURED EVENT
CANADIAN WESTERN AGRIBITION THE JEWEL OF THE PRAIRIES BY TERRI MASON CANADIAN WESTERN AGRIBITION is the premier agricultural show of the Canadian West, and there’s no doubt why this jewel on the prairie brings nearly $100 million to Saskatchewan. Held annually in the province’s capital, Regina, this year’s show runs Nov 20–25, 2023. Agribition has everything going on here. If you like livestock, Agribition has the best competitions and shows of sheep, cattle, horses, and even alpacas, and the best competitions, from judging conformation to wool to 4H shows — and let me tell you, youth cattle show judges are the most inspiring speakers! Of course, there are plenty of equine events ranging from horse pulls to the very popular chore horse competitions (a combination of obstacle course highlighting driving skills and team responsiveness). For rodeo fans, there are the Finals of the professional Maple Leaf Circuit rodeo, to the grassroots of modern competition, the Ranch Rodeo, featuring ranch teams from across the West, competing in branding (with paint), sorting, roping, and other ranch chores, done at high speed. For the loudest of all the equine events, there is the crowd pleaser, cowboy mounted shooting, so be ready to cheer loudly and bring earplugs! Among all these working horses, there are plenty of equines to admire and for Western competitors to get to know and enjoy a good visit. Each year the organizers strive to add new draws, and this year is no different. For the first time, they are holding a Miss Rodeo Agribition competition, attracting young women with indomitable cowboy skills. Also new to this world stage is the inaugural Canadian Animal AgTech Awards, a one-of-a-kind event highlighting ground-breaking technologies that are transforming the agriculture industry. Agribition is so rich in Western tradition and opportunities, here are the best of the hidden jewels. To name a couple (honestly, I can’t call them “hidden jewels” because nothing is
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hidden here!) are the Family Ag Pavilion and the livestock exhibitors in the barns. While the Family Ag Pavilion area is geared toward children, it's a family affair where everyone can learn more about farming, ranching, and land management. Located in Arena 1 of the Cooperators Centre, the Family Ag Pavilion has partnered with many organizations to provide educational displays. To name a few, Nutrien has set up their area exploring plants and soil (wait until you experience the talking walls!). The Saskatchewan Cattlemens Association is showcasing their area of expertise with a fabulous 180-degree video experience, and over at Saskatchewan Prairie Conservation, visitors learn about species at risk, their habitat, and their needs. The Saskatchewan
Stockgrowers also have their unique interactive display about cattle. There are actual hands-on opportunities at most of the exhibits, and guaranteed, everyone will learn something — plus, it’s fun! “The Barns” host Agribition livestock exhibitors that are famous for their hospitality, and no, you don’t have to be a bull buyer. These exhibitors are in the cattle business and have great stories, so stop and visit — they love their career choice and are understandably proud of their livestock. Come to Agribition and experience the best that Western producers have to offer. From bison to beef, cattle to cowboys, rodeo queens to Grand Champions, Canadian Western Agribition has it all. agribition.com
Canadian Cowboy Country October/November 2023
IN THE CORRAL
HEART OF THE HORSE THREE YEARS AGO, Dustin Sippola was just another talented cowboy working on Western Canadian ranches with a side business starting colts. Thanks to encouragement from Niki Flundra, he is now the three-time reigning Heart of the Horse Champion, having successfully defended his colt starting title to a sold-out crowd at the Silver Sage Community Corral in Brooks this past August. Sippola is undefeated in five events as he’s also the defending champion at the Saskatchewan Equine Expo held each year in October in Saskatoon and The Horse Expo held in Red Deer in April. Spectators watched Sippola (Cardston, Alta) and renowned trainers Wade Black (Homedale, Idaho) and Greg Garvie (Priddis, Alta) showcase their skills with young horses provided by the Merrill family with Bar MM Ranches. Flundra, the Heart of the Horse organizer, was thrilled with this year’s event.
“Each trainer shared their unique knowledge while putting their horse’s best interests first. It was not ‘their own all the way through,’ especially in the Finals. Heart of the Horse is about so much more than colt starting. It’s a collective set of beliefs and inspiration — a powerful mindset.” Other highlights included “Horses of Hollywood,” a horse extravaganza on Saturday night, and a very emotional message by JR Verzain, a six-time NFR bareback qualifier, paralyzed from the waist down in a rodeo wreck and through a tremendous amount of help and hard work, wowed the crowd when he rode into the arena. “JR received a standing ovation and inspired every person in attendance,” added Flundra. The event's success showed most events sold out. Book your 2024 tickets now by going to theheartofthehorse.ca.
THE REAL SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDER!
PHOTO BY SINCLAIR IMAGERY/ROD SINCLAIR
IT WAS BOOTS and hats in the infield as Canadian Multi-Champion cowboy and fifthgeneration rancher Jared Parsonage and his family were honoured at the opening of the Country Roots-theme Aug 6 game of the Saskatchewan Roughriders at Mosaic Stadium in Regina. Many fans received a country-style bandana which came in handy as during halftime, the stadium was all a-flutter with 30,000 waving bandanas as the crowd yeehawed at the other honourees — two little kids who did some demo sheep riding. Then the crowd went wild as one sheep went on the lam and ran to the end zone in record time! Jared, his wife, Tulsa, and their son, Kade, were saluted by the crowd and, flanked by RCMP in red serge presenting both the Canadian and the Saskatchewan flag, another Saskatchewanborn talent, a sixth-generation farmer and 2023 SCMA Male Artist of the Year Justin LaBrash sang the national anthem. Parsonage, from Maple Creek, Sask, is the 2021 Canadian All-Around Champion cowboy and the 2021 and 2022 Canadian Champion Bull Rider. Final score: Sheep 2, Kids 0.
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IN THE CORRAL
RODEO REUNION & GOLD CARD GATHERING
Among the 2022 attendees was 1991 Canadian Saddle Bronc Champion Duane Daines, front row, black shirt.
ROPING MODEL CONTEST! AT THE NATIONAL High School Finals Rodeo in Gillette, Wy, the National Roping Supply company held a model search, with the winner being decided by social media. Congratulations to the two young Canadians who won — Olivia Parsonage of Maple Creek, Sask., and Clay Farmer of Savona, B.C. Olivia and Clay (and their parents) will be treated to an all-expenses paid trip next spring to Decatur, Texas, for a photo shoot with National Roping Supply. I imagine they’ll get a bunch of swag from the outfit and, in general, get squired around that part of Texas. Thanks, everyone, for voting!
Forrie Smith and Red Steagall at 2022 Reunion
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VIP’s such as Moe Bandy, Forrie Smith of Yellowstone, Karl Stressman of Wrangler fame, performer Red Steagall, Canadian movie mogul John Scott, Patrick Gottsch of Cowboy TV, rodeo commentator Jeff Medders, and artist Kevin Red Star will also be in attendance. The event will also feature a live and silent auction with wonderful items ranging from a trip to Belize to silver spurs. A new feature of the event is the Cotton Rosser Legacy Award, which will be presented to Ben Londo, a saddle bronc rider and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Rodeo Coach. As well the 2023 reunion willbe featured on RFD-TV’s Western Sports Round-Up. The brunch event will take place on Dec 15 at The Orleans Hotel and Casino from 10 am – 2 pm and can host 450 attendees. Tickets are pre-sold by calling 406-223-6503. Individual tickets are $85, and a table of 10 can be purchased for $850.
Olivia Parsonage, Maple Creek, SK
Clay Farmer, Savona, BC
Canadian Cowboy Country October/November 2023
PHOTO CREDIT: SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS
LAS VEGAS IS huge, the brilliant sites are many, and with a sea of cowboy hats to wade through during NFR, meeting up with old friends is a crap shoot at best. Some 16 years ago, former NFR saddle bronc qualifier Larry Jordan of the Missouri Breaks country of Montana created the Rodeo Reunion, a get-together that is a rodeo and ranching oasis in a sea of flashing lights and showgirl feathers. Since then, over 8,000 folks have attended this premiere event. The Reunion attracts the “Who’s Who” of the rodeo and ranching world and boasts people from all walks of the Western way of life, including many World Champions and their families, past and present PRCA contestants, horse racing elite, VIPs from television and movies, musicians, horse trainers and many more folks that have had a hand in preserving our Western heritage throughout the US and Canada.
IN THE CORRAL
TRUE GRIT: A Quilt for Sandy
EMPTY SADDLES
The front and back of the True Grit quilt. From left, Deb Mason, Terri Mason, Sandy CooperBlack.
Harry Richard Nickel 1938 – 2023
REGULAR READERS OF Cowboy will recall the horrific bronc riding wreck experienced by Sandy CooperBlack on Dec 31. [https://cowboycountrymagazine.com/2023/04/true-grit-sandy-cooper-black/] The 16-year-old was spurring for the whistle when he bucked off. The fall broke C3 and C4 vertebrae; the Foothills Hospital surgeons opted to fuse C2 to C5. The prognosis was dire; Sandy was paralyzed from the neck down. But then, one day, Sandy moved his arm. The skills of the surgeons and the physiotherapists were paramount in the rebounding of the young southern Saskatchewan bronc rider. The tremendous support of the rodeo and ranching community was astonishing. But many others wanted to help, including me, so I decided to make him a quilt. I didn’t plan just any quilt — one made from his friend's ranching and rodeo shirts. I told others of my idea, and the shirts started arriving. By the cutoff date, 63 rodeo shirts had arrived. The True Grit Quilt creation team was me, my sister, Deb Mason, who sewed many of the blocks, Karin Widmer of Roadrunner Quilting donated her longarm quilting, the Faulkner Ranch donated the funds for the reams of batting and other sundry items, and local designer Shelley Drever created the quilt label. The quilt was given to Sandy at the Black Ranch in August.
Harry Nickel was born in Herbert, Sask, and later, his parents moved the family to BC. As he grew, so did his love of horses and working cattle, and as a young man, he worked on many of the iconic ranches in the Nicola Valley area. A longtime friend of Canadian Cowboy, Harry was a very successful businessman in the printer industry, among others, who lived his life with honour. He always had horses, most of which he raised, and he was in his element when on horseback and working cattle. His favourite place to spend time was at Bear Gulch Ranch, enjoying the solitude, mending fences and counting cattle.
Specializing in Rodeo, Ranch & Humourous Fine Artworks!
PHOTO BY GLENICE BLACK
“
It is not what we have in life, but who we have in our life that matters.”
Check our Facebook page to see where Ash will be next: Follow Ash Cooper Art and Ranch Gallery
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HAPPY TRAILS!
MISS RODEO CANADA MACKENZIE SKEELS
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IN THE CORRAL
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WHERE IN THE WORLD IS CANADIAN COWBOY?
Kenzie and Kyder Lloyd
Brandon, Manitoba FOUNDED IN 1882 on the banks of the Assiniboine River, Brandon is the second-largest city in the province of Manitoba. The city has a rich history rooted in the fur trade and later as a major junction on the CPR. Known as The Wheat City, Brandon's economy is predominantly associated with agriculture. Canadian Forces Base Shilo is located near Brandon and maintains close ties with the city. Brandon's Keystone Centre, one of Canada's largest consolidated entertainment, recreation, convention, and agriculture complexes, is home to the Brandon Wheat Kings, the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair, and this past August, the Canadian Junior and High School Rodeo Finals. The top 5 Junior High and the top 6 High School finalists per event from our Western provinces were invited to compete, including timed event specialists Kenzie Lloyd and her brother, Kyder Lloyd of Quesnel, B.C.
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2023 Miss Rodeo America, Kennadee Riggs and 2023 Miss Rodeo Canada, Mackenzie Skeels
AS MY YEAR as Miss Rodeo Canada nears its end, I think back to all the wonderful experiences and people I have met along my journey. I am so thankful to everyone who helped me along the rodeo trail this year to make my year magical. Thank you so much to all my Miss Rodeo Canada sponsors, alongside my wonderful board of directors, for all the work they do for the program behind the scenes. I would also like to thank my wonderful family and friends for all their help this year as the best support system anyone could ask for. I am so excited to be heading to Australia for the Warwick Rodeo in October, where I know I will make lifelong memories. Then I’m heading back to Canada to attend the
Canadian Finals Rodeo Nov 1–5th in Red Deer, Alta, where we will also be crowning the 2024 Miss Rodeo Canada! After the CFR. I plan to go to the Great Lakes Circuit Finals in Kentucky and the Maple Leaf Finals in Regina before rounding out my year at this year’s National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas to cheer on our Canadian athletes and the Miss Rodeo America contestants. I am so thankful for all the wonderful opportunities the title of Miss Rodeo Canada has given me this year, and I look forward to starting my next chapter of life. Thanks for following along on my journey this year! With gratitude, Mackenzie Skeels, Miss Rodeo Canada 2023
Canadian Cowboy Country October/November 2023
GIDDY UP WITH GREG SHANNON
BRANDS AND BANDS GOOD TIMES AHEAD AT THE CFR
THE WILDEST HUNT
DREW GREGORY PHOTO CREDIT: CODY MCIVOR | GREG SHANNON PHOTO CREDIT: JEN RUSH
TRUE STORIES OF GAME WARDENS AND POACHERS BY RANDY NELSON
First off, The Wildest Hunt features stories from around the world about stupid people — and how stupid people got caught. So that’s fun. There are also heartbreaking stories about the national and international wholesale trade in poaching, fed by some of the most evil, debauched people on earth. And it’s heart-wrenching. Randy Nelson, a retired conservation officer from BC, has seen it all and has traded stories with compatriots around the globe. In truth, some of the stories are funny, downright funny (Hunting for Dummies is a hoot,) but pulsing throughout the book is his understandable rage at those whose greed is literally wiping some species off the face of the earth — and the corrupted people that support them. Even if you’ve never strayed off a bike path in your life, this book will make you want to become a warrior for species survival — and a champion for the sportsmen who work with wildlife officers to track, catch and convict poachers. I highly recommend this book. —TM The Wildest Hunt: True Stories of Game Wardens and Poachers | Author Randy Nelson | paperback | 276 pages | Harbour Publishing | harbourpublishing.com
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With rank bulls, broncs, buckles, and big bucks on the line, there’s a lot riding on the success of CFR 49. The 5-day event launches Nov 1 and features the absolute rodeo elite at Westerner Park in Red Deer, with the local economy benefiting to the tune of 20 million dollars! 840 CFCW is the official voice of the CFR, with Tim Ellis and his broadcast team bringing you the excitement live nightly on the radio. Collaboration is critical in rodeo, and that theme reigns supreme with CFR organizers who have been bucking the big-name trend and choosing instead to provide opportunities to build the careers of burgeoning local talent. Partnering with Country Music Alberta, they throw daily tailgate parties, and from the time guests enter the parking lot they are immersed in the festive atmosphere of the CFR with crackling campfires, fun sponsor activations on the landing of the Peavey Mart Centrium and live CMAB member acts playing acoustically to the thousands coming into each performance. Ashley Ghostkeeper, Alecia Aichelle, Olivia Rose, and Hay Lakes' favourite Travis Dolter are just a few of the CMAB artists who have played the CFR Tailgate Party.
The Trade Show Stage provides more live performance opportunities mid-afternoon, with artists playing for fans in the beer garden and exhibitors selling their wares to big crowds. Buckle presentations are part of the nightly cabarets, allowing event victors, sponsors and thousands of the CFR faithful to celebrate the city’s biggest party by applauding the champions and staying up way too late to party to the CFR All-Star Band. Traditionally led by incomparable guitar player Matty McKay, the ensemble of awardwinning musicians has harvested enough collective hardware to fill more than a few stock trailers. The ‘All Stars’ back amazing Alberta singers like Hailey Benedict, Devin Cooper, and Drew Gregory and play the tunes the party crowd wants to hear! In the words of CFR Executive Producer Kynan Vine, “The goal of organizers has been simple: to provide a vast array of entertainment options built from the multitude of tremendous up-and-coming talent right here at home.” To explore a business or brand partnership with these or other event opportunities, connect with the CFR 49 team via info@cfrreddeer.ca.
Greg Shannon 840 CFCW Morning Show Co-Host Hear Greg Shannon & Co-Host Stella Stevens weekday mornings on 840 CFCW! Email Greg with column suggestions: greg@cfcw.com
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SPIRIT OF THE WEST
Dick Threlkeld Born to be a Cowboy BY HUGH MCLENNAN
I
t was the middle of a usually hot BC Interior summer when up to 500 riders would gather to drive a herd of heifers or dry cows on about a 50-mile trip to Kamloops, also known as Canada's Original Cowtown. One fond memory is trying to sleep in my tent while the rest of the drover crew were gathered around singing while drover Dick Threlkeld played his banjo. I don't know how those guys did it; they were all older than me, and we were up at 3:30 in the morning for breakfast every day. Dick was a man who was born to be a cowboy. Ranch-raised, he remembered riding his horse to school every day. He learned to shoe when he was 13 and started training horses at 16. He competed in calf roping and wild cow milking at local rodeos. He cowboyed for the Basque Ranch and several other notable ranches, eventually becoming beef herdsman for the federal government at Tranquille Farm near Kamloops.
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In one of our cattle drive visits, Dick told me about rattlesnakes and crescent wrenches. He found a rattlesnake beside the trail and stuffed it into a saddlebag. He was late getting back to the ranch, and no one was around, so he stuffed the snake into the toolbox of a tractor. He returned to the
“Dick was a man who was born to be a cowboy.” shop early the next morning, waiting for the irrigators to appear. When the first one arrived, Dick said, “What have you guys done with all the crescent wrenches?” “There's one in that tractor toolbox,” he said, and Dick got a big laugh when the irrigator opened the lid to find the rattler coiled and hissing.
Dick's brother Harold was a well-known rancher and cowboy known as "T Bar." Dick was riding for a big outfit west of Savona when Harold told him that one of the ranch's cows was way up in the timber above Walhachin. Dick took a ranch truck with his horse in the stock racks. The cow was wild, but Dick roped her and, with the help of his dog, got her down to where he'd left the truck backed up to a bank. He ran his rope through the front of the rack, and his dog hazed the cow into the truck. As he shut the tailgate, he realized it was not the ranch's cow. She was carrying his brother Harold's brand! "He got me to bring his cow in because I don't think he was man enough to do it," Dick said with a chuckle. When Dick retired from his full-time job, he taught his charming wife Eunice to play the banjo, and the two of them were favourites at gatherings and festivals all over the West. Dick rode across the great divide on Jan 30, 2004. c
Canadian Cowboy Country October/November 2023
PHOTOS COURTESY HUGH MCLENNAN, BILLIE MCLENNAN
LEFT: Dick and Eunice Threlkeld on stage, ca. 2009 RIGHT: Dick being interviewed by Hugh McLennan many years ago.
WHEEL TO WHEEL
Friendly Competition BY BILLY MELVILLE
Wade Salmond (left) and Preston Faithful at the chuckwagon barns at the Calgary Stampede.
PHOTO BY BILLY MELVILLE
C
owboys not only love to compete against each other, but they push each other to be better competitors. They want their competitors to be at their best and hope they are a little bit better. But they have each other’s backs and are happy for whoever wins. This friendly competition is not only healthy, but it’s what makes Western sports great. At the 2023 Calgary Stampede Cowboys Rangeland Derby, two rookies — Preston Faithful and Wade Salmond — came into
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the event intending to make a big splash. The ultimate dream was to win the whole thing, but realistically to win the Orville Strandquist Memorial Award for the Calgary Stampede’s Top Rookie Driver was on each driver’s mind. According to Salmond, whose sentiments were shared by both competitors, “I’m sure hoping to win that award, and Preston Faithful is a pretty tough competitor. To win something like that would be an honour and a blessing.”
Both drivers have had careers that have somewhat paralleled each other. Both drivers had successful careers driving pony wagons before making the move to the big thoroughbred chuckwagons, Preston with the Canadian Professional Chuckwagon Association (CPCA) in 2018, and Wade with the World Professional Chuckwagon Association (WPCA) in 2019. The reinsmen had established themselves among the elite in their respective associations, and each received their first invite to compete on chuckwagon racing’s biggest stage in 2023. It set up for arguably the most exciting race for the rookie buckle the Rangeland Derby has ever seen. Over the first seven days of hard-fought competition, the horsemen had shown moments of brilliance, with Salmond holding the edge on Faithful, but the two drivers were practically neck and neck down the stretch, so to speak. By night nine, it was Preston Faithful who held a slight edge over Wade Salmond with just one run to go. But just before the races on the final night, the two rookie drivers had a chance meeting in the barn area, where they shook hands and wished each other good luck. Although the encounter was brief, it was evident that both drivers had a mutual admiration and respect for one another, both as human beings, as chuckwagon drivers and as horsemen — a touch of class from both men. “At the end of the day, Wade’s still my buddy, and we’re going to be friends after, and it’s going to be cool whoever wins,” Faithful said. In the end, it was Wade Salmond who came away with the buckle, and Preston Faithful was as happy for him as he would have been had he won it himself. And as happy as Wade Salmond was to win, he felt for Preston, and it made it much more special to beat out such an esteemed opponent as Preston Faithful. Does it get any more cowboy than that? c
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REFLECTIONS
The Look
Because the memories are the rhymes That will bring back the times Of the places and people he’s known They might hang in the wind But they’ll come back again And warm him when he grows cold. These words are the first chorus to the poem “The Look’’ (Sunlight On Silver) co-written by Vern Ballantyne and myself. It was inspired by a daybreak remuda of horses being trailed down a hill towards the pens and the memories of the sights, sounds and smells of the following days. A bunch of us had gathered at the Waldron to gather and sort some of the patron’s cattle and enjoy the camaraderie of like-minded folks. I was reminded of this a few days back when I travelled down to Pincher Creek for a memorial for a friend. Something I spend more time at now, remembering memories, not making them. For many years, much of every fall was spent gathering cattle, from Manning to the North, the Pinhorn to the South. East to the BT and West on the upper Red Deer watersheds. With many points and outfits in between. It is still my favourite time of year. There's usually been a few frosts and the bugs are diminished, the bogs and muskegs have tightened up, and the leaves and foliage are releasing the stored-up sunlight that nourished their growth and will soon return to the soil from which
they started. It's this thought that ties together that trip past the Waldron and the reason I was making it. Often when we gather at a memorial, reunion or simply a visit, it’s the remembering of the sights, sounds and smells of past events that became the memories of today. As the words flow out in their unique melodic rhythm, they’re carried by the wind to the canvas of our cranium and engraved there, (The exception is a politician whose words are more of a muddy puddle than a ripping stream.) As I look to the scriptures, I’m drawn to the words of Ecclesiastes (believed to be written by Solomon) 12:1-2 — “Honour and enjoy your Creator while you’re still young, before the years take their toll and your vigor wanes. Before your vision dims and the world blurs and the winter years keep you closer to the fire.” (The Message) When you remember that Solomon was considered the wisest and richest king of his time, he had a barnful of experiences to draw from, memories, both good and bad. By the time you’re reading this, you may be a’ways past your youth, but only a moment from your memories. In time, your earthly body will enrich the soil from which the first body was formed, your life will reside in the memories of those who knew you. Your soul will abide in the place Christ has prepared for it, That’s the one memory that you can decide on today that you’ll carry for eternity. c
Bryn Thiessen is a rancher, poet, cowboy and preacher at Cowboy Trail Church in Cochrane. Bryn and his wife Bonny market grass-fattened beef from their Helmer Creek Ranch southwest of Sundre, Alta.
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Canadian Cowboy Country October/November 2023
STOCK.ADOBE.COM/ CANICULA
BY BRYN THIESSEN
ARTS & CULTURE
PORTRAIT
MEET BRAD HOLT VINTAGE MIXED MEDIA ARTIST BY CRAIG COUILLARD
Cadillac Ranch, 60 x 66” mixed medium
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ARTS & CULTURE
PORTRAIT
"O
Studebaker Road Trip 34 x 50” mixed medium
Bad Hair Day 24 x 40” mixed medium
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Wild Roses and Old GMC’s 50 x 58” mixed medium
ne man’s junk is another man’s treasure.” If you’re a fan of the TV show American Pickers, you’re going to love the vintage artwork of Brad Holt. Part painting, part photography, part welding, part sculpture — Holt’s work is as unique as the pieces he uses. Raised on a heritage mixed farm that his great-grandfather homesteaded near Langdon, Alta, Holt was always interested in art, especially his grandmother’s oil paintings. “We used to show 4-H cattle at the Calgary Stampede, but I wanted to spend all my free time at the Western Art Pavilion,” said Holt. “That’s really what piqued my interest.” After taking some art classes at the University of Calgary, Holt started dabbling with old window frame art and selling them at Farmer’s Markets. His first big break was exhibiting at The Masters at Spruce Meadows, which gave him the confidence to work as a full-time artist for the past 15 years. He eventually gained enough prominence to be invited to participate in the Calgary Stampede Western Art Show in 2014. “Most years at the Stampede, I will sell out now, but I also get some great leads about old vintage materials farmers and ranchers having sitting around their yard,” explained Holt. “Sometimes it's just a source of raw material for my art, but often it can lead to a private commission. Recently I got a lead on an old grain scale from a grain elevator that I’m making into a sculpture.” One client had a tailgate from granddad’s truck and an old photograph of the homestead that they commissioned Brad to make a one-of-a-kind art piece for the family. Another family had a special window frame from their old farmhouse that was made into another family heirloom. He loves photo-realism and utilizes an image transfer in the background of each piece to help highlight important aspects of his painting and to create depth and substance. Brad paints with acrylics and hand paints each work of art, creating rich and colourful textured sunsets and landscapes. Combining these different mediums creates a striking 3-dimensional look in his work. “I actually work backwards. I start with finding the frame — an old window frame or
Canadian Cowboy Country October/November 2023
ARTS & CULTURE
PORTRAIT
“
“I actually work backwards. I start with finding the frame...” car part — and see what speaks to me. I never really know where it's going to take me.” “One challenge I’m experiencing is that some farmers want me to take the whole vintage vehicle, not just the door or the bumper, so I’m amassing quite the old car collection at my parent’s farm,” he chuckles. Holt is quick to give credit to his fiancé Vanessa Wesolowski who works full time now. “She looks after all my business affairs, allowing me to focus full-time on my art. She’s a huge help.” Holt indicated that about 60 percent of his work is custom orders. So the next time you look at that old vehicle or farm equipment in your yard or the house that’s fallen into ruins, look closer. Maybe there is a piece of vintage art that Brad Holt can create for your family. For more examples of his unique work, check out holtfineart.com c
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Elegance 36 x 50” mixed medium
Take Me To Church 60 x 70” Mixed medium
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Canadian Cowboy Country October/November 2023
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TRAILBLAZERS
Alexander Ross Capturing Canada’s History
Calgary photographer Alexander Ross was a man at the right place and time.
On November 7, 1885, at precisely 9:22 a.m., in Craigellachie, B.C., William Van Horne and Director Donald Smith presided over a muted ceremony that unified the Dominion of Canada. Of that momentous occasion, Van Horne declared, “All I can say is that the work has been done well in every way.” The same could be said of the iconic photo series Ross took of the event. Toronto photographer Cornelius Soule, who had been assigned the opportunity, did not arrive. Ross ‘happened’ to be present and captured the photo that helped define his career. Alexander Ross came from humble beginnings. His family arrived in Canada in 1773, and he was born in 1851 in Pictou County, Nova Scotia, to Hugh and Ann (McLeod) and was one of seven children.
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Top: Lord Strathcona drives the Last Spike to complete the Canadian Pacific Railway on 7 Nov 7, 1885. Above: Alexander Ross self portrait date unknown.
He started an early photography studio out of the family home in the 1870s, later moving to the Pictou waterfront. When his brother John joined the business, A.J. Ross and Company, he changed the name to Ross Brothers Photography. The pair opened studios in New Glasgow, Truro, and Charlottetown, winning first prize in an Exhibition in Truro in 1878. Despite their success, the pair dissolved their business, and Alexander went to Illinois in the early 1880s and married Mary MacArthur in 1882. The Manitoba Archives report that he started Best & Brother, which allegedly ran from 1882–83. According to the Glenbow Museum, the couple moved to Calgary and started a horse ranch in 1883 on what is now known as Spy Hill. The following year, he and Mary moved to Winnipeg, where they joined brothers Hector, John and Thomas. Along with John Best (again),
Canadian Cowboy Country October/November 2023
PHOTOS BY ALEXANDER ROSS.
BY TIM LASIUTA
PEOPLE WHO SHAPED THE WEST
he formed Ross, Best and Company and became known as “portrait and landscape photographers.” (1884-87) (NOTE: While researching this article, there is a discrepancy in timelines. It would be greatly appreciated if any reader could help clarify this.) During the railway construction, it is reasonable to suggest that due to Ross’ reputation as a photographer, he was contracted to photograph the line's progress. With the thrust of a sledgehammer, the last spike was driven by Smith and with the
PHOTO BY ALEXANDER ROSS. COURTESY THE ESPLANADE, MEDICINE HAT/GLENBOW ARCHIVES
“Ross ‘happened’ to be present and captured the photo that helped define his career.” snap of a shutter, Ross stepped into the role of Canada’s photographer. “Photographs like the Last Spike provide the visuals for the stories we tell. It is often said that a photograph is worth a thousand words,” said Historian Michael Dawe. “Therefore, having such photos extend and enrich the stories and make experiences much more meaningful.” Upon his return to Calgary in 1886, he turned his attention to documenting life in and around the growing settlement. In addition to portrait photography, he captured the lives of the Sarcee-Blackfoot (now T’siu Tsina) and other first nations, including the Asini Wachi Nehiyawak (Mountain Cree) in studio and on the plains. His fascination with the First Nations peoples increased, and he spent a large portion of his time between 1884 to 1891 taking photos of First Nation camp life and more traditional portrait sittings. The portraits he captured include Crowfoot, Rabbit Carrier, Sarcee woman Katie, Chief Owl, Bobtail, and many warriors, mothers and children. “As a present-day descendant of Bobtail and elder of the Asini Wachi Nehiyawak, the value of his photographs cannot be calculated,” said clan mother, Sandra Larocque McLeod. “They are part of our history and family heritage.”
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Crowfoot (1830–1890), or Isapo-Muxika, was a chief of the Siksika First Nation.
Innisfail and District Historical Society curator Anna Lenters shared McLeods’ sentiments. “As a museum curator with Cree descent, I look at the photos and see my grandmothers’ cheekbones in the faces of the mothers and grandmothers,” said Lenters. “It is a very unique experience.” She added that looking at the pictures makes her want to tell the real story of the people of Canada before it is lost forever. In 1891, Ross unexpectedly closed his business, passing away in 1894 at 43.
His surviving work speaks of a man who saw his world through a lens that captured a world of stark contrast and simplicity. Posed in studio or in situ, he preserved a fleeting time struggling to reconcile dramatic change with Victorian ideals. Today, our world views photography as disposable, yet Ross saw his work as a service to the future, who would never see live what his lens captured. His star burnt quickly, and in his wake, he left photographic treasure for generations. Alexander Ross is buried in Union Cemetery in Calgary. c
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ABOVE: Dallas packing one of his early saddles that he made with master saddlemaker Chuck Stormes. It's rough out leather with a 16" seat on a Wade tree. OPPOSITE PAGE: This saddle is the second one he made with Chuck Stormes. It was Dallas' first top carved saddle, and first in-skirt rigging; partially carved with Mexican marigolds. INSET: Mexican marigold carved horn cap.
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Canadian Cowboy Country October/November 2023
PHOTO BY BILL BORGWARDT, STOCK.ADOBE.COM/ DETAKSTUDIO
LIVING LEGEND
LIVING LEGEND
Dallas Prince DEEDS, NOT WORDS BY TERRI MASON
PHOTOS BY HOLLY PRINCE
D
allas Prince's saddle-making and leather-crafting career has certainly taken some interesting turns. Raised and schooled in Calgary, the strapping athlete knew he didn’t want university, so in 2000, he joined the Reserves [part-time soldier.] “I really enjoyed myself,” he said. “So, in 2002, I joined the regular force [full-time soldier] and was moved to Borden, Ontario, for a year. It’s a training base.” In 2003, Dallas was posted to Edmonton as a combat engineer in 1 Combat Engineer Regiment. (1 CER). “A combat engineer is
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basically in charge of mobility on the battlefield, making roads and bridges, clearing obstacles, concrete bunkers and denying the same to the enemy. So, clearing minefields, stuff like that.”
He paused. “Then I went on two tours in Afghanistan with 1 CER.” Right there, I stop. Two tours? In a steaming hot hellfire region infamous for vicious, guerrilla-style, use-kids-asshields warfare? “It had its moments,” he deadpans. “It's different when you've been training for it for a long time. It's nice to be able to go on tour and actually do your job.” I was shocked at how casual he was about his experiences. “But you were in extreme danger,” I said, the mother in me coming out. “At times, I think there was probably extreme danger, but it's over for me. There were a couple of times that we were pretty
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sporty, but nothing too crazy. You just deal with it as it shows up. Most of the time, we're having a good time, building stuff, blowing up stuff, driving around the countryside, and doing soldier stuff,” he said, underplaying the stressful conditions. He was in the Kandahar region in 2006 and again in 2008; 1 CER did some operations with the French and a few with the Americans. “But most of the time,” he continued, “We just did our own operations because we were the ground holders in Kandahar. We were the force of choice.“ A military career means that as you progress through the ranks, you get posted to various other places for leadership roles or management — or any number of reasons that the military decides to post you. By the time Dallas was on his second tour in-country, his rank had increased to a Master Corporal. When he came home from Kandahar, he was put on a sergeant’s course in Gagetown. “During that time, I was posted to CANSOFCOM,” [Canadian Special Operations Forces Command]. He said it so casually, but it’s the equivalent of Navy Seals — the best of the best. Think Rambo crossed with Schwarzenegger — only with live rounds and real enemies. He continues, “In 2009, I was posted to Ottawa to CANSOFCOM, and then I did two tours,” he paused. “I'm not really sure what I can say about what I was doing, but um, I was on tour in 2011 in Afghanistan, and then I did another tour in Kurdistan (Northern Iraq) in 2016. I was a Master Corporal; then I got posted to sergeant and then a warrant officer.”
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LEFT TO RIGHT: Dallas practicing carving, a skill that has to be maintained; Cobra Class 4 leather sewing machine; Dallas working on a new saddle constructed on a custom-made Wade tree INSET: Completed Wild Rose carving; Dallas' flower of choice
Four tours of duty. In 2019, Dallas officially retired with a chest full of medals. To go from the high-octane world of active military and plenty of support to the solitary life of a leather craftsman in the small mountain town of Edson, Alberta, is quite a change, but the desire to learn the craft was always simmering on the back burner. “When I was 16, I had a job on a ranch,” he said. “I really wanted my own gear and couldn't afford it, so I started making my own.
FOR MORE INFO Dallas' shop, Blackwood Custom Leather and Saddles, is on Facebook, and Instagram: @DallasPrince319
I first made a pair of chaps with the help of Ken from Caledon Leather in Calgary.” We stopped and reminisced about Ken and Caledon’s late owner, Don Wudel. “I met Don when I went to Pioneer Ranch Camp when I was young feller,” he said. “But then I got busy being an army guy. I still dabbled in leather, stamping a piece or something, then in 2013, I broke my neck and my shoulder. I couldn't do much, so I really got into tooling leather.” The therapy became a passion, and by 2015, Dallas decided to make his own saddle. He bought DVDs, a bunch of books and went at it, finishing “three (or four)” saddles. In 2019 Dallas retired, and to jumpstart his civilian career, he applied for funds from the military to learn saddle making, but it wasn’t to be. That’s when his biggest supporter stepped in to help. “My mom contacted Chuck Stormes (premiere saddle maker and one of the founders of the Traditional Cowboy Arts Association) and gave him the ins and outs of who I was. Chuck agreed to interview me before taking me on as a student, and also, Veterans Affairs approved me for funds.” He laughs. “I took two of the first saddles I’d ever made, and I think the sixth one, too. He told me what he’d recommend. He said, ‘Well if I were you, I'd burn them.’ Dallas laughs again at the memory. “That's the trainer I want.” The young soldier and the master leatherman got along just fine, and to this day, Dallas still consults with Chuck as he masters the craft.
Canadian Cowboy Country October/November 2023
PHOTO BY JOHN PHILLIPS, BILL BORGWARDT, HOLLY PRINCE
LIVING LEGEND
PHOTO BY JOHN PHILLIPS
LIVING LEGEND
“I feel super thankful and blessed to be able to work with Chuck,” he said. “It’s been my saving grace, leather work, to me, is my therapy. Being to war four times, I've got a couple of issues…” he trails off. “It keeps my mind focused, puts my hands to work, and attention to detail is key. And you have to put your ego aside. You can't be married to a project, and you have to be able to accept criticism if you want to get better or be the best. I always strive to be the best; otherwise, I don't see the point. Chuck is definitely on the same level in regard to having no ego and striving to be the best and not sugarcoating anything, and I love that about Chuck. I wouldn't trade that for anything. That is exactly what I need.” With each saddle Dallas crafts, he asks the master for a critique, and it was on one of these trips that Chuck told the fledgling craftsman about the TCAA Fellowship. The Fellowship is provided to up-and-coming people in the cowboy trades to train with the best in the world. Dallas applied but wasn’t chosen because there was only room for one saddlemaker recipient that year. But that’s not where the story ends. The TCAA didn’t want to turn down this elite soldier, so two board members threw in $6,000 each so Dallas could receive a fellowship. “I wish I could tell you their names,” he said. “I think they liked my military career and my dedication.” Initially, he was to train with Pedro Pedrini, but due to Covid, he spent his fellowship with Chuck. “It was excellent; learning from the best was all I could ever hope for.” These days, touring through Dallas’ social media sites shows many items made for his brothers in the military, all stamped with FNV, an acronym for Facta Non Verba, Latin for Deeds Not Words. “I try to live by it, and now that I'm retired, I try to take that aboard. And like I said, I'm not usually much of a talker; I’m more of a doer.” So this soldier’s life trajectory has gone from high stakes, where concentration and attention to detail aid in survival, to high art, where concentration and detail are demanded to make the grade. He’s travelled a long way down the craftsman trail from his first saddles, and
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ABOVE: Dallas wearing his Canadian Armed Forces medals, hazard badges, and his CANSOFCOM command badge, plus a Remembrance Day poppy. On the fence behind him is his roughout saddle. LEFT: An impromptu photo taken of Dallas, (sunglasses) travelling in a military vehicle with comrades
word has gotten out about this young man’s skill. He usually has at least a saddle on the go, but he still resolutely carves out time to make leather gear for his brothers-in-arms. Dallas still travels quite a bit, but it’s to Ontario. “I try and go once a year just to see my army buddies. I text them probably every day because they are dealing with their own struggles.” For some, the war never ends. “I see a lot of army guys that still commiserate about the war in Afghanistan. I don't because I don't want to sit in a dirty diaper for an eternity,” he said. “It's time to move on, the war is over. So, I try to live a full life that I earned. I wasn't killed in theatre, so I try and live like I deserve this.”
He paused, “Terri, do you think I could say a little something about our plans for the future?” Absolutely. “My girlfriend Ellen and I are buying a small ranch west of Edson, and our plan is to start a pack trip for veterans and first responders. When I was in special ops, I went on a horse packing course,” he explains. “I found that being out in nature and being with the horses was super beneficial. So that's our plan — to start a veteran pack trip ranch for first responders and veterans, and we're gonna call it FNV Ranch. My goal is to be a full-time saddle maker and to run FNV Ranch.” Deeds not words. Facta Non Verba, indeed. c
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WESTERN COLLECTOR WWI GERMAN FIELD GUN BY FRED HAUCK
The German field gun, which sits in the Royal Canadian Legion Redcliff Branch No. 6 parking lot, came about through a great effort by the Redcliff citizens.
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ABOVE: Captured WWI German Field Gun, Redcliff, Alta. RIGHT: Edward, Prince of Wales, coat of arms
Redcliff teachers and students also got involved, hoping to place a bond in every home in Redcliff. The campaign closed Nov 15, 1919. The final tally was this: I Prince of Wales flag with 24 crests and three industrial flags. The Redcliff citizens subscribed to $132,950 worth of Victory Loans — not bad for a population of 2,000. November 1919 newspaper headlines read, "Redcliff Wins the German Gun." In February 1920, word was received that the gun was on its way from Germany. Winning towns and cities across Canada had to submit in writing what they wanted inscribed on a bronze plaque to be mounted on the "trophies." The town of Redcliff was also responsible for providing a base on which to set the 3–4-ton gun. May 13, 1920, was the arrival date. June 3rd was when the bronze plaque arrived. The German field gun sat for many years in what is now the Legion Park beside the Cenotaph. Long-time Redcliff resident Ralph Pinder refurbished the wooden wheels in 1969; many coats of paint have been added. In the late 1970s, the gun was removed from the park, later to be
placed at the Redcliff Legion parking lot for all to see. 2012 was Redcliff’s centennial, complete with a parade. I was on the Legion executive at that time, and a parade float was discussed; my suggestion was to borrow a car trailer, build a half-size model of both old and new cenotaphs and a half-size field gun, and put past presidents on the trailer for a ride. I built the half-size field gun with help; it was all welded metal with a barrel that raises and lowers, a real showstopper with many compliments. Once I got it back home, I built a flagpole to set beside that could be raised and lowered. I used the display as a fitting tribute every Nov 11. c
Canadian Cowboy Country October/November 2023
STOCK.ADOBE.COM/ DETAKSTUDIO
It all started in 1918 with the end of the First World War. Soldiers returned to their hometowns, and Redcliff was no exception, with its 252 men signing up. During the war, soldiers captured what were to become war trophies. War trophies ranged from machine guns to large field guns. 1919 saw towns and cities across Canada asking the Federal government for such war trophies, especially the big guns. As it turned out, the Canadian government had over 190 trophies but only enough field guns to supply one per province. Which community in Alberta was to receive the gun was a mystery. A contest to decide the winner was held. The area involved a divisional point between the north and south half of the province, then each half split into districts (Irvine and Medicine Hat were in Redcliff’s district and helped bring the gun to southern Alberta). Each district had to sell Victory Loan Certificates (Victory Bonds). The district to sell the most received the German field gun. Redcliff's allotment was $25,000 worth of $50 certificates. Edward, Prince of Wales, came to Canada in 1919 to thank Canada for its involvement and support in WWI. While in Canada, the Prince gave the Victory Loan campaign a great boost by consenting to allow the use of his coat of arms on a flag, which was the prize of honour for the communities achieving their sales quote of victory loans. For each 25 percent over the quota, the community could sew another Prince of Wales coat of arms on the flag. The committee was organized, and Redcliff businesses canvassed. Each industry had an amount allotted to them that could be purchased. In 1919, the Dominion Glass Factory surpassed their amount, as did the Redcliff Pressed Brick and the Ross Clay Products.
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PHOTOS: CURTIS COMEAU PHOTOGRAPHY
COUNTRY COOKING
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Canadian Cowboy Country October/November 2023
COUNTRY COOKING
Create a Fall Feast! The harvest is in, there’s a nip in the air and yes, there’s still time for one last barbeque. To celebrate the changing of the seasons, pull out all the stops! Get your best ranch-raised beef, add in your garden-raised produce, and create a Western fall feast with help from Rig Hand Distillery.
CHERRY WHISKYCURED BACON
BY TAMARA ASCHENBRENNER
(Essential ingredient on the Rig Hand Burger)
INGREDIENTS
• 1 kg pork belly • 1 tsp pink curing salt • ¼ cup kosher salt • ¼ cup Rig Hand Cherry Whisky • ½ cup brown sugar • Cherry wood chips • Wood smoker
DIRECTIONS
RIG HAND BURGER Signature burger, with Rig Hand Cherry Whisky-cured bacon that pairs easily with the Speaker’s Old Fashioned or straight Speaker’s Whisky.
INGREDIENTS
• 1 focaccia bun • 1 5-oz burger patty (homemade or frozen) • 1 fluid oz Lazy B BBQ sauce • 1/2 fluid oz mayo • 1 slice smoked cheddar cheese • 2 crispy onion rings • 2 crispy slices of cherry whisky-cured bacon • lettuce & tomato on burger set
DIRECTIONS
1. B arbecue up your favourite burger patty, to taste. 2. Toast focaccia bun. 3. O n the bottom bun, spread Lazy B BBQ sauce. 4. O n the top bun, spread mayo, then add lettuce and tomato. 5. O n burger patty, melt smoked cheddar cheese. 6. Garnish patty with onion rings and bacon.
1. Ensure silver skin is trimmed off of pork belly. 2. P lace pork belly in a large ziplock bag for curing. 3. I n the bag, add the pink curing salt, kosher salt, cherry whisky, and brown sugar. Mix/ rub thoroughly. 4. C ure for 7 days, making sure to flip the bag each day. 5. O n the 7th day, remove pork from the bag and rinse off the cure. 6. P lace uncovered pork on a wire rack in the fridge, overnight, to become tacky before smoking. 7. A dd cherry wood chips to smoker, then smoke low and slow at 325˚ for 1-3 hours (depending on thickness), until internal temperature reaches 145˚. 8. Slice bacon to desired thickness, then cook in the oven until crispy. 9. Add to Rig Hand Burger.
RIG HAND DISTILLERY As the first-ever craft distillery in the Edmonton area, and only the second in all of Alberta, Rig Hand Distillery is used to blazing trails. Not only have they opened an extensive new property in Nisku to work as a farm, distillery, restaurant, and tourist attraction, but one of their whiskies was the first Canadian whisky ever selected as the official spirit of Canada’s House of Commons. The Rocking R golden rye whisky — known for its smoothness, approachability, and depth of flavour — is 1 of 82 remarkable products made from local ingredients. Their line also includes flavoured vodkas, gins, beer, brum (sugar beet rum!), and more. Rig Hand now has distilleries in Alberta, New Brunswick, and Texas. Look for their iconic oil derrick bottles in liquor stores, or order online at righanddistillery.com.
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COWBOY WAY
Wreck Knife BY MALCOLM MCLEAN
I wanted to build the ultimate knife for cutting oneself out of a roping wreck or any kind of horse wreck. So without further ado — ‘The Wreck Knife.’
A while back, on a rain day, my friend Ty Lane and I spent a day in the shop forging and testing different knife designs to build the ultimate wreck knife. The first thing we realized was that the angle of a traditional knife handle didn’t have enough downward curve for one’s wrist to sit comfortably and apply the necessary amount of downforce to cut through the rope. So, we built a pistol grip-style handle. This made the grip comfortable and gave us the advantage of putting heavy downward pressure on the blade while cutting. We then realized that as we put downward pressure on the rope, the curve of a traditional blade wanted to slip off while we were applying pressure. We reversed the blade shape to a concave shape instead of convex. This shape draws the rope to the blade's centre while we cut. Finally, we decided that the last thing a person wants while becoming wrapped up in a rope in the middle of a bronc ride is to pull out a sharp pig sticker of a knife and end up stabbing oneself or one’s horse. We decided there was no need for a sharp tip for this specific wreck knife, so we made a square, blunt end. If a person needed to cut a saddle billet or a latigo, you could slip your knife under the leather against the horse, give it a slight outward turn, cut through the leather, and leave the horse unscathed. If you have a specifically designed wreck knife, it also helps you to refrain from using it for whittling, cutting horn wire, or baler twine. So when you need it, it’s always sharp and ready to go. I had a custom sheath made and sewn high onto the left side of my leggings to prevent it from getting hooked on my rope while I’m dragging calves or roping. You’d have to forget your leggings to forget your knife. And if you forget your leggings,
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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Malcolm's unique wreck knife; Custom knife sheath sewn to the left leg of his chaps; The sheath on the left leg doesn't interfere when he ropes. Left-handed ropers sew it to the right leg; The Wreck knife in action
you’re probably having a pretty bad day, and it’s maybe an omen to sit this one out. This knife would be great for outfitters or anyone who’s riding and rope doctoring or branding. It could also come in handy for teamsters or wagon racers — any situation
where you need to cut yourself out of a wreck in a hurry. And in the words of Corb Lund, “Always keep an edge on your knife, son, ‘cause a good sharp edge is a man’s best hedge against the vague uncertainties of life.” c
Canadian Cowboy Country October/November 2023
WHAT WORKS FOR US
Cottonwood Livestock Hardship & Grace
ALL PHOTOS COURTESY FORBES FAMILY COLLECTION
BY TERRI MASON
—Gord and Patti Forbes The story of the Cottonwood Livestock outfit is one of hardship and grace. “Our place is on the north bank of the South Saskatchewan River, about 25 miles west of Medicine Hat,” said Gord Forbes. “We’re in a dry area, so we’ve got rattlesnakes and scorpions — all those things that only live in semi-arid areas.”
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WHAT WORKS FOR US
While scenic, the stark and forbidding strata of sedimentary rock is very fragile. The Forbes’ and other area ranchers protect this land. ABOVE: A long view of Cottonwood cattle on pasture; you can see off in the distance the rain is falling
Their ranch is deceptively simple, governed by sense and necessity, overcoming hardships that broke many others. “We bought the place in ’98,” said Patti. “First BSE hit next came Hoof and Mouth, then we had the drought, and we pumped water. We sold all our cattle when we couldn’t feed our way out of the drought in 2001 and eventually rebuilt our herd.” And the Forbes family is still here. “We are a cow/calf-yearling operation,” said Gord. “In dry years like this, we’re mostly cow/calf. That’s our buffer; you can always get rid of yearlings and get your money back. It’s a little bit harder to dispose
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of cows and calves at different times of the year. This year, we dumped all the yearlings early except for the replacement heifers.” The couple also have the benefit of their two sons, Casey and Kyle, working alongside them. They, too, live down on the river flat with their families. They also have a daughter, Hilary. A horsewoman, she founded Holsom Equine Rehabilitation and Conditioning, a thriving horse business west of the [Medicine Hat] airport. On the ranch, both sons have their expertise. “We’re fairly progressive, and we give credit to our sons,” said Gord.
The young men enjoy researching their specialties; Casey oversees buying the feed, mineral packages, and ration planning and Kyle is the grass management guy. He also handles all access requests for the ranch.” “They like to do the research; everything we do around here has to pass the stress test,” said Gord. “We have a meeting every morning in the shop and go over what we think we should be doing. When somebody brings up an idea, it’s got to show that it’s worthwhile and economical.” The Cottonwood is a real throwback to the old ways. “We don’t have any hay land or cropland, so the cows feed themselves,” explained Gord. When the ranch must buy feed, the total cost is high, so the cattle mostly feed themselves. Explains Gord, “We’ve got a big winter field, it’s about five miles long down along the river bottom, and about 300 cows spend the winter there. They use up the hillsides pretty badly if we have a tough winter. Because of the ice, they don’t want to go out and graze. We feed them during the tough days. On the good days when it warms up, they go up top and graze until the weather pushes them back down onto the river bottom. Then we start feeding again.” Sheer economics have changed their feed, too. “For the last three years, we’ve
Canadian Cowboy Country October/November 2023
WHAT WORKS FOR US had corn silage delivered from Bow Island.” About two-thirds of the price of hay, silage accounts for about 70 percent of the ration, plus 20 percent straw and 10 percent alfalfa hay to bring up the protein. The ranch has a chopper mill, and their corn supplier delivers. Calving is streamlined by good stockmanship. Their heifers start calving in mid-April, their cows about a week and a half later. The heifers are moved in close to the ranch buildings into a couple of 50-acre fields. They graze during the day, and they’re brought in and fed in the evening. “We’ve been doing that for 40 years, and we’ve got the data showing they calve mostly in the daytime,” said Gord. He continued. “Those old guys always said, ‘The first thing a cow’s going to do is look after herself. She’s going to come
minister that gets in, we have to fight to protect the land,” says Gord. “They want to open the grazing lease for hunters, recreationists, etc. It’s tougher for us to keep them out because we are along the river. The government want to let them come in and drive quads or motorbikes or whatever on the land, and they’d destroy it.” It’s not just the damage to the land that concerns the family, but the threat of fire is always on their minds.
Not only are they protecting the land itself, but many endangered species. “Most live close to the river, so you can’t have people just coming and going and abusing the land. So we’re protective. Our son, Kyle, is the chairman of the Alberta Leaseholders Association, so he’s even more protective about our ground.” Cattle handling skills are paramount, and Cottonwood has two brandings a year.
“The Cottonwood is a real throwback to the old ways” up and eat, and after she’s done digesting some of that feed, she’ll worry about calving.’ It works for us, and we don’t check our heifers at night. We seldom end up pulling a calf; plus, we use low birth-weight Angus bulls.” “The other problem with calving heifers is when you’ve got two heifers wanting the same calf,” he added. To countermand that, the heifers and their calves are moved into one of a dozen individual pens so they can ‘mother up.’ After a short while, the heifer and calf are let into a small field. As soon as they are bonded, they let the pairs range into their tame grass fields. The Cottonwood boasts 75 percent native grass. “Most years, we don’t go onto our native pastures until July, but this year, we had to go a wee bit earlier because the tame grass didn’t grow,” said Gord. Drought isn’t new here; the ranch still has traces of the rock rows that once marked homesteads — all abandoned. One headache Cottonwood shares with many other producers is the revolving door of government ministers. “With every new
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An early aerial shot of the Cottonwood ranch yard; their branding pens are elsewhere
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WHAT WORKS FOR US
Back, from left: Kyle and Allana, Carina and Casey, Jerrod and Hilary Blanchette; middle from left: Alexa, Tristan, Patti, Gordon, Tessa; Front from left: Korbin, (cowboy hat) Kaden, Quinn and Kate. ABOVE: A fun Hawaiian Shirt Branding with their military friends; notice the double-sided branding pot and the grassy pen, which makes for a clean and dust-free day
“The first one is our family branding; we do about 60 to 100, mainly the grazing lease calves,” said Gord. “We get the wives inoculating and teach kids how to hold down a calf. This gives the younger generation a chance to learn without all the high stress of our larger branding.”
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For the big branding, they use an efficient crew made up of our tech crew for the main jobs and the military and friends for the wrestling. Then there’s the military connection with the British officers based at Suffield.
In the late 1990s, the area was hit with another drought. They could pump water from the river but had to lay the pipe themselves — nine miles of pipe. Said Patti, “Gord got the pump and pipe from Alberta Ag, and when we were discussing how we were going to do this, our officer friends in the British military said, “We will come and help you.” Gord said, “I need to have a two-week commitment from you,” and those guys were here every day. At any one time, we had eight miles of pipe laid out, and those men came every day and moved it. So as a thank you, we started doing the military branding, and they came every year.” The Ralston Rodeo, a staple in the area, had been suspended for a couple of years due to Foot and Mouth and a lack of help to start it up again. “Patti and I volunteered to help the military get it up and going again. With a lot of help from family and great friends, we were able to assist them in the rodeo portion for over 10 years, said Gord. “I have been a member of the Officer’s Mess, and we ended up with many good friends in
Canadian Cowboy Country October/November 2023
WHAT WORKS FOR US the military. We had more of a connection with the British simply because they all lived in the village, and our kids went to school there.” The Cottonwood also hosted many British military parties. “We’ve had generals here, the head commander of the British military, and we’ve hosted battle group parties, including one for the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards,” said Patti. “They brought their pipe and drum band who played the music for the movies Last of the Mohicans and Braveheart. The band marched up from the river playing that music, and as the sun set, the pipers went up on the hill and played “Amazing Grace,” she paused. “It was unreal.” The military has been very good to the Forbes family and vice versa. “We had a French officer who wore white chino pants at the branding, and they got so filthy I offered to wash them. ‘No,’ he told me. ‘I’m going to frame these!’” she laughed.
AT A GLANCE
The Forbes’ brand with roping and wrestling. The wrestlers are mostly their military and family friends.
In the long run, the Forbes family probably did as much for Canadian-British relations as any diplomat, plus also solidified an honest appreciation by the military for the Western lifestyle. The sprawling Cottonwood outfit is in tough, rugged country, but it’s home — home to those with grit. c
RANCH NAME: Cottonwood Livestock ESTABLISHED: 1998 OWNERS: Gord and Patti Forbes NEAREST TOWN: Medicine Hat, Alta. ELEVATION: 580M–690M (1,900–2,200 ft) ANNUAL PRECIPITATION: (152 ml) 5–6 inches (as of Aug 10, only 32 ml (1.25”) this year SIZE: 23,000 acres BREED: Commercial herd; red and black Angus HERD: 550 cows; 100 replacement heifers, red and black bulls
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RODEO LIFE
Kynan Vine Next-Gen Rodeo Producer BY TERRI MASON
Kynan Vine is a gun for hire in the world of professional rodeo. His suggestions are reshaping the increasingly urban guest’s view of the sport and reorganizing how the rodeo is run — and why it’s done in that order. His skills have brought in big-name sponsors and big-time purses, attracting the best
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stock and world champions, all for the sport's betterment. “I’ve been fortunate to produce several of the largest rodeos in Canada and the U.S., including the Calgary Stampede and The American,” said Kynan. “And each is very different. You’d think, ‘rodeo is rodeo,’ but it’s not.”
From Days of 47 in Salt Lake City to The American and Canadian Finals Rodeo, Kynan has been hired to guide the productions to an energetic show of good ground, fast times, high scores, and happy clients. There is politics, of course, but many cultural differences play into a big show, and the bottom line is a tight production.
Canadian Cowboy Country October/November 2023
RODEO LIFE
“When I started working for the CPRA as the rodeo administrator, we worked with Northlands putting on the CFR. I just started assuming roles of production, management and contract personnel. Then I started doing that for other rodeos, like Armstrong for the Tour Finals and the Grassroots Finals, and from there, I went to work for the Calgary Stampede. That’s the long and short of it, but I've been doing it all my life. So, yeah, I grew up weed-whipping around porta-potties at the Box Springs Rodeo grounds,” he laughs. His cowboy background is just as varied. “I fought bulls, mainly for the Keslers, and we were a small team that would go
Kynan Vine watching the 2023 Days of 47 Rodeo in Salt Lake City.
PRCA PHOTO BY C BAR C PHOTOGRAPHY/RICK ANDERSON
“[Winston Bruce] was and is the epitome of a rodeo producer.”
“I like to think the reason why I’m successful is that I grew up in the sport and have done almost everything and every event.” How’d he get started in such an exclusive sport? “My dad, my mom, Dale Rose, Rocky Rockabar and Moe Schneider (Cody
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Snyder’s dad) were the founders/committee for Box Springs Rodeo in 1980. I grew up helping put on Box Springs. I was the vice president of the rodeo by 16. That's where I started in rodeo production.” His career trajectory was already headed to the pro ranks.
into rodeos like High Prairie or Grimshaw, and we did everything; open the chute gates, run the stripping chute, and produce the whole rodeo for some of those committees. I learned a lot from the Kesler family, from Judy to Greg to Dwayne. I was also fortunate enough to work for Winston Bruce, who was a huge influence and mentor of mine. He was and is the epitome of a rodeo producer.” What makes a great next-generation rodeo producer? “To me, it doesn't matter if I'm in Arlington, Texas, in AT&T Stadium or Lethbridge, Alberta, I try to make sure that my shows are for the fans. It's always about the audience.” Kynan is not one to mess with tradition unless there’s a big payoff for contestants and fans, and starting the Calgary Stampede off with barrel racing instead of bareback riding shocked the rodeo world. “I did it at the Stampede because I felt their audience doesn’t understand rodeo. Bareback is a very underappreciated event. Barrel racing is three barrels, and the fastest time wins. And it makes for the best ground conditions for their horses,” he said.
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Since he left, the Stampede moved bareback as the opener. However, barrel racing as the opener is now the norm in both the pro and amateur ranks. Speaking of changing things up, he surprised me with this: “I brought up this idea a couple of years ago,” said Kynan. “I said, ‘They're setting world records in bronc riding in Canada and in my ideal world, I would love to have saddle bronc riding be the last event at the rodeo and see what people think about that.’” Stay tuned for that one. “Many producers put on the events and think, ‘This is what I like,’ and their show is not geared to the audience,” he said. “That's why we don't go full, headbanger superloud-music type production at the CFR.
“You’d think, ‘rodeo is rodeo,’ but it’s not.”
THE HOME OF CHAMPIONS.
2023
NOVEMBER 20 - 25 40
We try to keep that balance. We know a large demographic of people coming to the CFR don't appreciate that.” I concurred that volume is my perennial complaint; music so loud you can’t share the rodeo experience with the one you’re with. “For most of the rodeos, look at your crowd. They're also here for the social aspects, too. So, everything from the music to what the announcers are saying and even the colour of the lighting should be geared towards them,” he said. So, what does the perfect rodeo look like to this seasoned veteran? “Rodeo is so unique; it’s a fine science to run a highly entertaining and professional show in a 2.5-hour time frame — all while controlling the chaos and mitigating the risks of dealing with live and often wild animals. No other sport has to do that. Nowadays, we are also working in sync with a second-by-second timeline for television.” “When people walk away feeling like they have been entertained and hopefully more informed and connected to our culture, then we’ve had a successful event.” c
Canadian Cowboy Country October/November 2023
THE WESTERNERS
Wanchuk Family RODEO ROAD WARRIORS
PHOTO: LIZ TWAN
BY TIM ELLIS
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THE WESTERNERS
T
wenty-two steps to the stage, but it took me forty-five years to get here,” said Rick Wanchuk. The master of rodeo arena one-liners who was onstage collecting the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association’s Specialty Comedy Act award for 2022. It was the first time he won the award in his 45-year career as the rodeo entertainer known as Ricky Ticky Wanchuk. “That meant the world to me and the boys and Joan and to everybody that’s ever helped me,” offers Wanchuk, who began performing as a rodeo entertainer in 1977. “I like to think the people got their buckle, and I get to wear it.” It’s a lengthy list of people who have helped Wanchuk with his career over the past six decades. He’ll list his brother, Tony “Two-chuk,” Shawn “Budweiser” Weiss, Braiden Bach, Gary Unger, Jacob Flaata, Clint Fowler, Kale Ethier and nephew,
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Rick, Kolby and Joan; South Point Hotel, Las Vegas, 2021
Casey Wanchuk, as those who were integral parts of his act over the years. And, of course, his two sons. “I don’t exactly remember when I started, but there are pictures of it,” says Kolby, who has twice qualified for the National Finals Rodeo in bronc riding.
“I was two years old, and it was at the Cloverdale rodeo. I didn’t do a whole lot — just had my mini-barrel for the sheep riding.” “It was always a blast travelling the country with my family, getting paid to have fun. We went to rodeos from Whitehorse to southeastern Saskatchewan to Cloverdale, BC. We always had a lot of animals with us and dirt bikes and quads. It was always lots of fun.” “I think I started when I was about three,” begins younger son, Kyle, a pro rodeo bronc rider and team roper. “It was always fun meeting new people and travelling to all the places.” “I enjoyed the travel. There’s lots of cool country out there that lots of kids my age never got to see and experience.” “I was pretty darn busy this last year,” reveals the 71-year-old Wanchuk, who performed with his nephew, Casey and others at 23 rodeos in 2022. “Years ago, we started in March with the Camrose rodeo.”
Canadian Cowboy Country October/November 2023
PHOTOS COURTESY WANCHUK FAMILY COLLECTION
Joan, Kolby and his fiancée, Karlie Jackson, Rick and Kyle.
THE WESTERNERS
“I beg him every year to slow down,” confirms Unger, who met Rick two years into his clowning career and in a body cast just after he’d broken his neck for the first time. “Just because of the injuries. I want him to enjoy life now.” Injuries? “I consider them all minor, but now they’re becoming serious,” suggests Wanchuk, battling a crushed vertebra pinching a nerve in his back. “My niece has counted a hundred broken bones throughout my career.”
PHOTO COURTESY JOAN UNGER
ABOVE: 1995 CFR Barrel Racing qualifiers top left, Amie Stone, Joan Hager, Monica Wilson, Debbie Guelly, Leslie Schlosser, Joan Unger. Bottom, left, Rayel Robinson, Dawn Rude, Rana Walter, Frances Church. BELOW: Kolby (NFR competitor jacket), his dad and brother, plus many supporters wearing the “Kolby” t-shirts; Las Vegas, 2021 NFR
“But I cut out those spring rodeos because I always worked. I’d be hauling logs until the end of March. And then, if you worked too late in the fall, you couldn’t get a good pipeline job. So, it was always juggling the clowning in between work.” But that may not be a problem moving forward. “Last year, I left my job as a crane operator at a worksite to watch Kolby
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(compete in the bronc riding) in Calgary. They asked when I was coming back, and I told them I didn’t know; I told them to do what they had to, and I’d let them know when I wanted to come back. I guess I haven’t wanted to.” That could free up even more time for Ricky Ticky’s performances, something his wife, Joan Unger, doesn’t want to think about.
“
“I like to think the people got their buckle, and I get to wear it.” “Broke my ankle back in 1984 in Fort St. John, broke my wrist in 52 places when a sand skiing act went wrong in Coronation a couple of years later when I hit a calf chute. Then I broke my neck again in a motorcycle accident in Grande Prairie. And last year at Tofield, I got run over by a steer that hurt my back and hips and left me in a wheelchair for a month.” The injuries and the job are some of the sacrifices Wanchuk has made for the opportunity to continue entertaining. Joan’s sacrifice for helping keep her husband on the road while raising two boys was a barrel racing career. “I grew up a town kid,” she reveals. “From when I was 7, all I cared about was horses. So much so that my mom and dad bought an acreage when I was 11 so I could have a horse.” “I worked for my dad building our house on the acreage for 10 cents an hour and saved until I bought my first horse for $150. Then I started buying ponies for $15–$20, got them broke enough that I put the kids I was babysitting on them to ride them, and then I’d sell the ponies.” That entrepreneurial spirit made her a well-respected horsewoman and barrel racer for over 20 years.
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ABOVE: Kolby rode 386 Black Tie (Sankey/Phenom) for 89.5 points and a three-way split for first place of Round 10 at the 2022 NFR. So far, this is his second qualification for the World championships. BELOW: Kyle heeling in the short go at the 2022 Ponoka Stampede RIGHT: Kyle on Outlaw Bucker’s 1898 Minor League at Field of Dreams Pro Rodeo in La Crete, 2022.
“I always had a full-time job while juggling rodeo and kids,” offers Joan, who remembers meeting Rick when he toured the rodeo circuit with a bus, stock trailer and mule. “Once our kids were born, my priorities totally shifted.” “For a time, Rick’s best friend, Willie, would come to all the rodeos to help and watch over the kids when I was barrel racing. One time I was warming up in Grande Prairie, and Kyle, who was almost three, was playing
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with a ball and it rolled into the bull pen. Willie was distracted helping Rick, and I saw Kyle go in the pen. I ran over and grabbed him and never entered a rodeo again.” “She keeps better track of my schedule, and definitely dad’s,” chuckles Kolby, now travelling thousands of miles a season on the North American pro rodeo circuit. “She keeps his trailer working smooth at all those rodeos and makes sure everyone is taken care of.”
“She parked her barrel horses and packed the boys,” says Rick. “She put her life on hold, and now she’s following me around with this big motorhome, so I’ve got accommodations and meals, all that stuff I never had for 30 years.” “I love helping Rick out, hanging out at the clown trailer and doing what I can to help him do what he loves to do,” offers Joan. “But now, when I get to watch my boys compete, they’re the best moments of my life.” And it seems for the Wanchuk family that all the years of hard work, the broken bones, all-night drives to get back to work, the loading and unloading of the 48-foot trailer every weekend and all of the sacrifices forged his CPRA Special Comedy Act award. “I just started crying,” reveals Joan. “And the standing ovation was the coolest part. That was pretty special for all of us.” Whether he slows down or not, one thing will remain the same for the awardwinning Ricky Ticky Wanchuk. “My job isn’t to make people laugh; it will always be to help them laugh and help them forget about everything else in their life for the day. I don’t know how I could sleep at night not thinking about going to the next rodeo.” c
Canadian Cowboy Country October/November 2023
PRCA PHOTO BY CLICK THOMPSON; PHOTO BY WILDWOOD IMAGERY/CHANTELLE BOWMAN (2X)
THE WESTERNERS
INSIDER PRO RODEO CANADA
Lynette Brodoway riding SR Boots on Fire on Day 6 of the Ponoka Stampede. Photo by Shellie Scott.
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LISTEN TO THE EXCITING COVERAGE OF THE CANADIAN FINALS RODEO WITH CFCW’S BROADCAST TEAM: Tim Ellis • Duane Daines • David Schmidt • Jenna Verhun • Dianne Finstad
Live from Red Deer’s Westerner Park, November 1 - 5, 2023
PRO RODEO CANADA
INSIDER
A SEASON TO REMEMBER It’s almost Canadian Finals time at the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association. Congratulations to all those athletes — cowboys, cowgirls and the livestock of rodeo — for their 2023 accomplishments and CFR qualifications. This year’s Finals takes place Nov 1-5 at Peavey Mart Centrium at Westerner Park in Red Deer, Alberta. Check out rodeocanada.com for an official roster of CFR contenders. Follow CFRRedDeer. com for details about the Finals, including performance times, tickets, entertainment and additional related events. 2023 saw amazing sell-out crowds at numerous events — a credit to the entertainment value our sport offers and to the partners, sponsors, athletes, stock contractors, personnel and rodeo committees. Special recognition to the volunteers, without whom, these events would not succeed. As well, with the SMS Equipment Pro Tour just concluded at Armstrong, BC’s Interior Provincial Exhibition and Stampede, we’d like to recognize this year’s Pro Tour Champions. The 2023 Tour was bigger and better than ever with a number of new events coming on board. Thank you all for your participation in the Tour and thank you competitors, from both sides of the border, for supporting these rodeos. And most of all, thank you to SMS Equipment.
2023 CPRA SCHEDULE
PRESENTED BY PEAVEY MART
Visit RodeoCanada.com for updates
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The Maple Leaf Circuit Finals is also on the horizon — slated for November 22-25 at Agribition in Regina, Sask. Circuit Finals qualifiers have the opportunity to get a head start on the 2024 season as monies earned at Agribition Rodeo count for next year. This year has also been special as we’ve enjoyed cheering on a record number of CPRA athletes competing for a spot at the National Finals Rodeo. Well done everyone and good luck in Las Vegas come December. It’s been exciting to take Canadian rodeos to The Cowboy Channel’s world-wide audience. Both CFR and the Maple Leaf Circuit Finals will be streamed live on this platform. We value all of our media partners. With that in mind, we thank Canadian Cowboy Country magazine for their partnership and support over the last several years. We appreciate all you have done to promote Canadian Professional Rodeo and hope to enjoy continued coverage of Canadian Rodeo within your pages as we move forward. See you at the Canadian Finals Rodeo!
Terry Cooke, President, Canadian Professional Rodeo Association
SEPTEMBER Armstrong, BC ............................... Sept 2 Merritt, BC............................................... Sept 2-3 Langley, BC (SB, BB, BR, LBR)..............Sept 2-4 Coronation, AB.......................................Sept 8-9 Medicine Lodge, AB................................... Sept 9 Olds, AB................................................ Sept 15-16 Hanna, AB............................................ Sept 16-17 Edmonton, AB ** ................. Sept 29-30 NOVEMBER Red Deer, AB **.........................Nov 1 - 5 Maple Leaf Circuit Finals **............. Nov 22 - 25
* indicates Special Event ** Points earned at Edmonton Pro Tour Rodeo count for 2023 SMS Equipment Pro Tour Rodeo *SB — Saddle Bronc | BB - Bareback | BR — Bull Riding | LBR — Ladies Barrel Racing Cowboy Channel broadcasts the Canadian Finals Rodeo, Maple Leaf Circuit Finals and (maple leaf) SMS Equipment Pro Rodeo Tour rodeos.
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PRO RODEO CANADA
INSIDER
FINAL SEASON DRAMA BY CPRA
A
s the 2023 CPRA season races toward a dramatic conclusion with tense battles shaping up for those coveted CFR berths, it’s time to look back at the last few weeks and see how they got us to where we are now. Three-time Canadian and World Champion Zeke Thurston notched his third Ponoka Stampede title with a 92.5-point Showdown ride on Calgary Stampede’s Dandy Delight. The Showdown pits the top four finishers through the Stampede head-to-head on the final night for a shot at $15,000 in bonus money. “Rodeos of this stature are hard to win,” Thurston noted. “There’s guys go through their whole career and not win here. So it doesn’t get old.” The second-generation mega-talent pocketed just over $18,000 for his Ponoka efforts. At the other end of the arena, the world’s number one steer wrestler, Dalton Massey, brought his Showdown round steer down in 4.6 seconds to collect the $9750 bonus check as he too topped $18,000 in Ponoka earnings. The Oregon cowboy then added $4620 for a 2-3-4 split at the Williams Lake Stampede (another SMS Equipment Pro Tour event). “I’ll probably never have a better opportunity to get to the CFR,” Massey stated. “I think it would be pretty cool to have a Canadian back number on my wall at home." Coy Robbins swept the bull riding at the next two weekend CPRA events. The Camrose, AB cowboy put up an 87-point score at Bowden Daze on Macza Rodeo’s 8681 Dirty Money for a $1647 payday, then topped the field at the SMS Equipment Pro Tour Teepee Creek Stampede stop
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Ben Andersen scored 87.5 points for the win on Duane Kesler’s 522 Daisy Duke at the 2023 edition of Whoop-Up Days in Lethbridge. Photo by Sean Libin.
with an 88-pointer aboard Duane Kesler Championship Rodeo’s Perlich Brothers Ivy League for a tidy $2838 injection into the bank account. Claresholm’s Shaya Biever went sub-2.0 on back-to-back runs that led to a pair of wins for the 23-year-old. Biever posted a 1.9-second run at Teepee Creek for a $2876 first-place finish and was a tick faster at Bowden, roping her stock in a blistering 1.8 seconds for another $1292.
Among the big winners in the CPRA’s “Eastern swing” were barrel racer Traci MacDonald, steer wrestler Scott Guenthner and bull rider Cauy Schmidt. MacDonald smoked the field at the Moose Mountain Pro Rodeo in Kennedy, Sask. with a 15.64-second run to take home $1303, then added another $1842 with a third place run at the Manitoba Stampede in Morris — stop number nine on the SMS Equipment Pro Rodeo Tour.
Canadian Cowboy Country October/November 2023
PRO RODEO CANADA
INSIDER Three-time Canadian Champion steer wrestler Scott Guenthner was at his Guenthnerian best on the weekend with back-to-back wins. The four-time NFR qualifier nailed the first-place cheque at Kennedy with a 4.1-second run for $1297 and then, in front of a packed Morris grandstand, blistered a 3.6-second run for the win and $2089. Coronation, Alta. bull rider Cauy Schmidt continued his remarkable comeback with back-to-back wins as well. The young talent, who suffered a career-threatening injury at a late 2022 PBR event, was the only cowboy to ride at either weekend event — mastering Big Stone Rodeo’s 924 Watermelon Sugar for 77 points at Kennedy. Then, at Manitoba’s only pro rodeo, Schmidt put up a terrific 84.5 effort on Vold Rodeo’s 708 Clear the Village. With ground money (essentially all the bull riding money at both rodeos), the sophomore hand-pocketed $15,755. Ben Andersen’s Pollockville, Alberta Hardgrass Bronc Match victory and the accompanying $16,238 payday included a thrilling 94-point ride in the Finals to clinch one of rodeo’s most sought titles. Andersen rode for eight on the Calgary Stampede’s superstar mare, X-9 Xplosive Skies, the same horse that carried Logan Hay to the Hardgrass win and world record 95.5-point ride one year earlier. Beau Cooper turned in a 9.2-second winning run at the Medicine Hat Stampede, stop number ten on the SMS Pro Rodeo Tour. The win was his second in a row at Medicine Hat, and netted the Stettler cowboy $3396. 2019 Bull Riding Champion Edgar Durazo was victorious at the Rockyford Rodeo with an 86.5 point ride on Northcott-Yule’s 932 Redneck Raisin for $1090.40, then added a second place cheque at Medicine Hat with an 87.5 effort for $2741. The team roping tandem, Dawson and Dillon Graham, took top honours at Medicine Hat with a 5.0 run, pocketing $2795.38 each with the win. 22-year-old Mandan, North Dakota bulldogger Riley Reiss blazed a 3.9-second run at the Field of Dreams Stampede in La Crete, Alta, to take another step toward a first CFR appearance. “Scott Guenthner is a really good friend, and we talked about it this spring.
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Jesse Popescul clocked a sizzling 6.7-second run at the Okotoks Rodeo held in Millarville, Alta. Photo by Billie-Jean Duff.
That’s when I decided to spend as much time as I could up here.” Like so many contestants, Reiss was quick to sing the praises of the committee at La Crete. “I loved it up there,” he enthused. “They took really good care of us, fed us in the morning and every night and gave us a chance to hang out with the other contestants and the committee people and meet everybody. It was great.” Rolling ahead to the following weekend, 2021 Tie Down Roping Champion Riley Warren did just what he had to, posting an 8.9-second winning run at Dawson Creek Stampede for $2508. “I’ve had some bad luck for sure, and you just can’t stub your toe anymore. The roping is tougher now than it was a couple of years ago. There’s a bunch of young guys that just rope so well.” Another veteran timed event cowboy, Morgan Grant, also topped the field at the Dawson Creek Pro Tour event – this time in the steer wrestling — with a 4.2-second run to take home the $2216 winner’s cheque.
Saddle bronc rider Dawson Dahm continued his string of successes as he put up a solid 83.5 score on Duffy Rodeo’s 10 Bootilear to capture the win at the Rimbey Pro Rodeo and add $940 to his season’s earnings. Still recovering from the knee reconstruction that kept him out of action for a year, Spur Lacasse found his A-game and captured wins at the Pincher Creek Pro Rodeo and the BCNE Rodeo (Prince George, BC). “That was my best-feeling ride of the season,” the second-generation bareback rider said of his eight seconds on the Calgary Stampede five-year-old F-28 Fresh Chick. The result was 87 points for a welcome $1104 payday.” Lacasse followed that up with an 84-point effort on C+ Rodeo’s veteran CFR horse CY47 Ginger for an additional $932. Lacasse is locked in a four-way battle for the final two spots on this year’s CFR roster with Wyatt Maines, Ethan Mazurenko and Australian Dallas Hay.
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PRO RODEO CANADA
INSIDER Breakaway roper Macy Auclair won Cranbrook with a 2.1-second run for $1444 and split the win at Pincher Creek with World Rookie contender Shaya Biever (1.9, $1001 each). “This weekend was pretty crucial as I wasn’t quite where I want to be in the standings,” Auclair said. Maci counts among her mentors her dad, Scott Auclair, her mom, Michelle Auclair and World Champion, Cody Ohl. Ben Andersen was both consistent and excellent during weekend stops in Lethbridge and Okotoks. The number one ranked saddle bronc rider in Canada took his A-game to both places with back-toback 87.5 scores and back-to-back wins. The Eckville, Alta cowboy combined with Duane Kesler Championship Rodeo’s 522 Daisy Duke for the Lethbridge Pro Rodeo (Whoop-Up Days), the critical second last stop in the SMS Equipment Pro
Rodeo Tour, for 87.5 points and a $3053 first-place cheque. “We were in Kennewick the night before, then headed up to Lethbridge and back down to Bremerton. It was a bit out of our way, but it was definitely worth it.” The second-generation 23-year-old talent wasn’t done yet. He then raced back up to Canada and dialled up a second 87.5-pointer at the Okotoks Pro Rodeo, this time on Vold Rodeo’s 11 Shorty for $1663. 2021 Bareback Riding Champion Clint Laye equalled Andersen’s feat, first taking top honours at Lethbridge with an 84.5point effort of Duane Kesler Championship Rodeo’s 660 Crown Jewel for $2500, then capturing another title at Okotoks with an eye-popping 87.5-point ride on Vold Rodeo’s terrific T1 Dancing Queen for an additional $1513. Glentworth, Saskatchewan’s two-event cowboy Jesse Popescul brought the heat at
Okotoks as the five-time CFR qualifier turned in a brilliant 6.7-second run (fastest roping run of the season to date). The $2518 victory enabled Popescul to close ground on All Around race leader Logan Spady as they and Morgan Grant duel for the All-Around title. Dalton Massey was at it again. The Oregon steer wrestler who leads both the World and Canadian standings bulldogged his steer at Okotoks in 3.0, one-tenth of a second off the Canadian record for a $1918 win. Barrel racer Celeste Montpellier turned in an outstanding 15.13-second run on Saturday night in front of a packed Lethbridge grandstand for a $3360 payday and her first pro rodeo win. And Lynette Brodoway increased her season lead in barrel racing with a third-place finish at Lethbridge ($2352) and a fifth at Okotoks for another $1090. Head to rodeocanada.com to see how the dust settled on the 2023 CPRA season. c
FEEL THE RODEO RUSH
NOV. 22 -25, 2023
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REGINA, SK
AGRIBITION.COM
Canadian Cowboy Country October/November 2023
PRO RODEO CANADA
INSIDER ROAD TO THE CFR
DANTAN BERTSCH ON TIME, ON POINT BY TIM ELLIS
D
antan Bertsch was getting tired of pouting and getting tired of watching his buddies on the Cowboy Channel. Now, those bareback riding friends are wishing he would have stayed on the couch. “I knew I had about seven to eight weeks of healing time,” says Bertsch of his recovery from a spiral fracture in his leg, sustained in early June at the re-scheduled Drayton Valley Pro Rodeo. “I told them (Acumen Performance) to do what they had to so I could be back soon after.” The injury was not for the faint of heart. “It happened right when I left the chute,” recalls the six-time Canadian Finals Rodeo bareback riding qualifier. “A horse ran me down the chutes, and my leg got stuck in the gate.” “On the second jump, it pried my left leg in between the pipes and twisted it. It wasn’t much fun. I knew when it happened that something was seriously wrong. When I got back to the chutes, it was either ‘grit your teeth and pull the boot off, or we’re cutting it off.’” “There was no surgery. I started with a cast and then a walking boot with crutches. I ditched the crutches the week before I came back, so it was a quick week of learning to walk again and using the spur board to see how bad it was going to hurt.” The return to the rodeo trail was on time and on point. Upon his return, Bertsch placed at six of his first seven rodeos to win $6,928. “On the horses, it didn’t hurt at all,” suggests Bertsch, who had slipped outside the top fifteen of the Pro Rodeo Canada standings while on the shelf. “There’s so much going on around you that a sore ankle is the least of your worries.” “Eight seconds can seem like a long time, but you can block out the pain. I talked with the pickup men to make sure
cowboycountrymagazine.com
Dantan Bertsch scored 82.5 pts on Duffy Rodeo's X-82 E-Ticket at 2022 CFR. Photo by Wildwood Imagery/Chantelle Bowman.
they’d be there when the ride was done. If I had stepped on a clump of dirt and twisted my ankle, I would have been done again.” It was also as if the contractors were part of the return plan. “My draws that first weekend back were decent,” says Bertsch, who won both the Bruce Stampede and the Rockyford Lions Rodeo and placed third at the Medicine Hat Stampede in his return. “They were good enough to test my leg, but they could have bucked me off if I stubbed a toe.”
“The main thing I was worried about was getting squished in the chute or something. But they all stood good and gave me a fair shot. It worked out good.” In fact, it worked out well enough to put the 29-year-old right back into CFR contention. “I thought it would take a bit longer to move back up in the standings,” confides Bertsch. “That first weekend put me back in the hunt. It got me back shooting for the CFR.”c
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CLOWNIN’ AROUND | CRASH COOPER
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Canadian Cowboy Country October/November 2023
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COWBOY POETRY
The Chuck Wagon BY BRUCE KISKADDON
She ain't what she was in the days of her glory, Fer years she has stood in the cottonwood shade. But if she could talk, she could tell you some story, Of her days on the range and the part that she played. The old mess box built in her back is still standin'. But the canvas is gone that we put on her bows. Each year she went out fer the round up and brandin', And came back from the beef hunt along with the snows. When we got on the camp ground I sure did admire, How the cook and the wrangler would unhitch the team. Then they throwed the old dutch oven into the fire— Them biscuits he baked I can taste in my dreams. With the boys sleepin' 'round her she looked sort of lonely, Like a small country church in a little graveyard. But she looked plenty good when you slid off your pony, When you came into camp fer to wake the next guard. But the wagon was home and we gathered around her' Chuck riders came in when the pickin's was short; Some of 'em would eat till they'd mighty nigh founder-It was there in the night we held kangaroo court. I liked them old hands with their gaze cool and level. They furnished the subject fer many a tale. It was little they feared either man, beast or devil, Them riders that follered the chuck wagon's trail. But the time I liked best, as I clearly remember; Is one every cowpuncher likes to recall. When the work was all finished along in November, And he follered the chuck wagon home in the fall.
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The Chuck Wagon by Bruce Kiskaddon (1878-1950) was excerpted from the 1947 edition of The Western Livestock Journal.
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Canadian Cowboy Country October/November 2023
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