Young rodeo participants invade Keystone

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 05/08/2023 (1149 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

High school students from all across Canada are proving their mettle at the Canadian High School Rodeo Finals, happening this weekend at the Keystone Centre.

Rudy Bond, an 18-year-old from near Kenton, located 72 kilometres northwest of Brandon, was one of approximately 350 contestants in from grades 5 through 12 who are competing for the Canadian title.

Bond has been pouring her time, attention and love into working with her horses in and out of the ring for years, she said.

“I spend time with them every day, riding them and exercising, working with them,” she said. “All the dedication I put into them comes back to me through how much they love me.”

The connection between horse and handler is an incredibly important one, Bond said, and without it, a rider can’t expect to succeed. As long as the rider understands their horse, and vice versa, even when the result isn’t what someone would want, there’s room to try again in the future.

“It’s OK to be frustrated, but don’t give up,” she said. “It takes a lot of work to get to where you want to be.”

Bond is looking forward to the fall, when she’ll be headed to Olds, Alta., to join the college rodeo circuit and study agribusiness.

Seventeen-year-old Dylan Byrne, whose family farms just outside of Brandon, said the best part of competing in the Canadian High School Rodeo Finals and being involved in the rodeo lifestyle is the people.

Byrne, who has been in the rodeo circuit since junior high and is following in a long line of rodeo ancestors, said the sense of community he gets from being in the rodeo world is second to none.

“It takes a real village to put a rodeo on, and a real village to keep everyone going,” he said.

Byrne also credits the relationship he has with his horse, a red roan that he has had since he was in Grade 8, with his success in the rodeo ring.

“He’s my main man. He’s always there. He’s very solid,” he said. “We’re pretty close, pretty tight. It didn’t take us long to click with each other.”

This weekend marks the first time the Canadian High School Rodeo Finals has been hosted in Brandon, and organizers Pam Bond and Raegen Byrne — the mothers of Rudy and Dylan, respectively — are very proud of the event and the students attending it.

“It’s a wonderful feeling, especially to see all the kids from Ontario to B.C., grades five to 12. It’s wonderful,” Pam said.

A lot of dedication and practice goes in to making it to the finals, Raegen said.

“It’s a lot of time that they put into this.”

Pam and Raegen were also happy to report that the light rifle and trap shooting elements of the rodeo — another first for the event — were very well attended.

“It was just wonderful to see, and to be the first place to host that event,” Pam said.

The rodeo continues today and tomorrow. Gate admission is $10 per day or $20 for a weekend pass.

» mleybourne@brandonsun.com

» Twitter: @miraleybourne