Lamont Summer Sizzler Rodeo

Lamont Summer Sizzler Rodeo

Emily Mailhot Reporter – Vegreville News Advertiser

This year’s Straightline Summer Sizzler Rodeo from July 13-14 in Lamont offered a little of something for the entire family with everything from children’s rodeo competitions to an LRA, WRA, and Foothills Cowboy Association-sanctioned professional rodeo, to the fanfavourite combine crunch.

Saturday’s events kicked off with the Kids Fun Rodeo, which featured events such as calf roping, mutton busting, safety chuck wagon racing, and a stick horse race. A lucky 32 kids were able to compete, with a long waitlist besides. Children were able to enjoy the Kids Fun Zone activities such as a petting zoo, sand pit, birdhouse making with Lamont Fish and Game, Lamont and District FCSS games, face painting with the Alliance Church, and more.

The events proceeded with a free pancake breakfast, marketplace activities, the opening of the beer gardens, and a rodeo Pre-Show. Rodeo performances proceeded with the tri-sanctioned rodeo starting from 2 pm.

Saturday’s activities proceeded with a soldout steak supper, entertainment in the beer gardens, and the Combine Crunch before proceeding to the Dance in the Dirt with musician Trevor Panczak, who also starred at the Bullorama one year prior.

The Combine Crunch Activities, long-anticipated by the competitors and spectators alike, featured eight old combines of questionable fortitude, who had, as one guest put it, “certainly lived their whole lives with the hope of acting as derby cars.”

A Calcutta Bid in each combine for a chance to take home the winning resulted in each combine’s half-winnings being auctioned for as high as $500. The lowest auction price was $225. Final Combine Crunch winner’s happy bidder made the bid of for 50% of Tom Houchulak’s winnings

The slack rodeo saw over 100 barrel racers overall this year, which is not a record number for the event, but Agricultural Society President Rebecca Joseph says it’s “probably pretty close.”

“Over the whole weekend we had a total of 300 rodeo contestants not including the kids rodeo,” reflected Joseph, who then carried on to recognise that it takes more than competitors to put on a successful event of that size.

Just this weekend, the Agricultural society had 140 volunteer shifts for the event, not including set up or teardown. “We’re 100% volunteer driven, and that’s what makes us successful,” said Joseph, “Our volunteers make everything happen so we want to make sure we thank them for everything that their doing.”

She continued to note that the event took close to another 300 hours of planning, as well as the support of main sponsor Straightlineand many other sponsors. As well, KG Enterprises helped with set up clean up and provided dirt for the arena.

“We couldn’t have asked for better weather, it was a fantastic event,” said Joseph. “We haven’t counted the numbers yet, but judging by the packed crowds in the bleachers for the rodeo and combine crunch on both days, it was a very successful year for the Lamont Summer Sizzler Rodeo.”