Back for it’s 32nd straight year, the Cranbrook Professional Rodeo will take place August 17, 18 and 19 and Dallas Mackie, chair of the CPR, said they are expecting a great entry again this year.
Hundreds of professional cowboys and girls and over 1,000 attendees will once again congregate at the Wycliffe Exhibition Grounds to be treated to some up close and personal rodeo action.
Many Americans come out to the event, explained Mackie, because they want to make it in to the Canadian Finals Rodeo, and in order to do so they need to have been entered into at least 15 other professional rodeos throughout the season.
“Because we’re late on the CPRA schedule we find that we get Americans trying to make their 15 times,” Mackie said. “Because there’s a lot of money up at the Canadian finals.”
Mackie, who along with much of the rest of the CPR committee have been on the committee since its inception 32 years ago, and they are very excited for this year’s event, she said.
As well as the three action-packed performances from top cowboys and cowgirls from all over North America, there are also two acts besides the actual competitors this year. They have a trick and a game rider and they also will have a liberty act performed by long-time rodeo star Niki Flundra.
They also have an event that they haven’t hosted in many years, a wild cow milking competition.
“We had it years and years ago we haven’t had it for a long time but we’re having it again this year on Saturday night only,” said Mackie.
The event will pit seven three-person teams, comprised of all local business people against one another. The event will take place right after the intermission on Saturday and will entail the three-person teams working together to rope, hold and milk the cow. First person back to the judge with milk wins.
Mackie, and the rest of the committee she represents, wanted to extend her thanks to the numerous volunteers and sponsors that make the Cranbrook Professional Rodeo such a success year after year.