Carrot River to host KCRA rodeo

Carrot River will be hosting a rodeo next summer.

An event sanctioned by the Kakeyow Cowboys Rodeo Association will be held at the Carrot River Valley Sports Grounds Aug. 18 and 19. That will tie into the town’s Flavours of the Outback and Cruise Night on Aug. 17.

Jackie James, who’s on the local organizing committee, said the whole process began a month and a half ago with an idea and a group of people willing to get together and act.

“My daughter actually rodeos and there’s young girls up here that rodeo,” she said. “We have to travel a long way to rodeo, so we’d thought we’d bring it here. There hasn’t been a rodeo here for a very long time.”

The closest KCRA rodeos this year were in Porcupine Plain and Prince Albert.

The event will be a full rodeo, with events like steer riding, bull riding, bronc riding, saddle bronc and team roping. There will also be peewee, junior and open divisions. Side events, like a cabaret, are also being planned.

“I think it’s good because it’s a family event,” James said. “Mom might barrel race, dad might team rope, and the kid might be team roping or riding a steer.”

Because the rodeo is a brand-new event, the committee is looking for $20,000 worth of sponsorships. The Town of Carrot River, in partnership with other local organizations, will provide $6,000 – both in cash and services provided in-kind. In exchange, the rodeo will be called the Saskatchewan’s Outback KCRA Rodeo.

Kevin Trew, the town’s administrator, said when they were developing the Saskatchewan’s Outback brand, they were told by visiting experts the town needed a horsemanship event.

“This is precisely the event we were looking for to be a marquee event in Saskatchewan’s Outback,” he said.

“It will be great,” added Bob Gagné, Carrot River’s mayor.

James said interest in horsemanship is growing in the area, with three 4-H clubs and other activities like mounted shooting.

“Our goal is to put the rodeo on and just keep improving the sports grounds for more people to use in the community,” she said.

James said in order for the rodeo to be a success, they’ll need to secure the sponsorships and have volunteers helping out.