Rodeo wouldn't be rodeo without one key component - livestock. True, cowboys who are willing to engage in highly dangerous activity such as bull riding, trying to stay on an angry horse who does his (or her) level best to dethrone the rider and, preferably stomp him into the ground, or wrestling a 1,000 pound steer to the ground by his horns without being skewered by said horns, are also necessary. That's the job of the stock contractor, to supply the animals for the rodeo, whether bulls, steers, calves, or horses. Not just any animal will do. Those deemed good enough for rodeo appear to be highly spirited and every bit as competitive as the cowboys who are out to master them.
There was a change in that department this year. The New Holland Rodeo hired a new stock contractor for the 2010 rodeo. This year the Yorkton Exhibition board contracted with the Rafter Anchor Rodeo Company, in conjunction with partner company, Outlaw Buckers to supply the rodeo stock.
Dale Woodward, operator of Rafter Anchor Rodeo, says his company supplies stock to the Canadian Cowboys Rodeo Association (CCRA) events in western Canada, while Outlaw Buckers supplies stock for professional rodeos.
The companies' home base is located about six miles north of Wainwright, Alberta where the bucking horses are raised. The bulls are raised by Woodward's partner Rod Schellen-berg.
The partners have been in the rodeo stock contract business for about five years and working at the professional level for about three years. They've recently acquired a Professional Cowboys Rodeo Association (PRCA) card and will supply stock to the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas this year. "This is the first year and we're happy about that," Woodward says.
Raised on a ranch, Woodward recalls that his dad worked for Leo Brown who actually produced the Yorkton Stampede years ago. "I was here when I was six or seven years old," he remembers.
Before turning to stock contracting, Woodward rode bulls for about 20 years. He found he had to find other work in the winter because he says, in Canada one can't rodeo year round.
"I tried raising bulls. My neighbors hated me," he chuckles. Horses are easier to raise and look after, he claims. "You don't need pipe all the way around your pastures," he explains.
He started raising bucking horses about 20 years ago with three brood mares with foals at their side which he bought from Art Leplante in North Battleford, Saskatchewan. He began selling the good ones.
"There's no money in rodeo," Woodward claims. It's a hobby. It's fun. It basically just pays for itself, he suggests. It's a highly competitive business. He and his partners had to bid against seven other stock contractors to win the Yorkton Harvest Showdown Rodeo contract.
Woodward says he's happy to have won the bid. He says Yorkton has a beautiful facility and a great committee to work with.
His greatest challenge is to find and raise good quality bucking animals. Most cowboys don't understand the difficulty involved until they get into the contracting business, Woodward suggests. "That's the biggest challenge right now, is to have a pen that you can go down the road with that everybody's happy about." It's the luck of the draw. There is some stock cowboys don't want to get on but the crowd likes to see. The contractor has to look after the crowd as well. It's also important that there are successful rides. "You don't want to buck everybody off," he notes. The paying public likes to see success as well as watching cowboys get bucked off. "You have to fill the stands for us to get here, for the committees to have a rodeo," he continues.
Just as athletes in any sport stand out, rodeo stock also has standout performers. Woodward bought a horse called Ross River from a line developed by Art Francis at the Canadian Cowboys Association (CCA) finals last year. Named bucking horse of the year in the professional rodeo, Ross River is going to the Canadian finals this year.
One of his mares, Fbomb, a big and rank horse is also going to the national finals this year.
Partner Rod Schellenberg has about 250 rodeo bulls on his ranch. He has a bull called Plain and Simple which has never been ridden to date. Another bull called Convict which has been retired this year has a similar record. The newest superstar of the bulls is named Even Money.
Woodward's next assignment will be the Canadian Rodeo finals in Edmonton, Alberta. A college rodeo follows a week later. Then he's off to the CCA finals in Regina. After Regina he will load up and travel to Las Vegas for the national rodeo finals. "We make a lot of miles," he admits.
Woodward says he will be coming back to Yorkton for a couple of years and hopes to see some of the great people he's met here again.
