St. Albert Rainmaker Rodeo May 24-26, 2024 

Junior Pony Races

The rodeo events at the Rainmaker are action packed. We start off with the little up and coming rodeo stars. These young kids do a wild horse race. They work as a team to get one of them up and one the pony for 8 seconds. It’s a crowd favourite.

Team Roping

Where you have a header and a healer. The steer gets a head start out the gate and they work as a team to catch the head and heels of the steer. Fastest time in each event wins.

Saddle Bronc Riding

Is when the cowboy rides in what’s called an “Association Saddle” with no horn while holding onto a braided bronc rein. He wears dull spurs and leather chaps. The cowboy places his hand on the rein carefully to maintain balance and avoid either being pulled down over the front end of the horse or launched of the back of the horse. These stock animals get a flank strap put around them which helps them buck as they try to get it off.

Tyson Wagner (Rodeo Clown) 

Tyson has been clowning around for the last 13 years at numerous rodeos throughout Alberta, Saskatchewan, British Columbia and Manitoba. Before his clowning career kicked off, he was the Lakeland Rodeo Association Finals bullfighter in 2006,2007 and 2008, and the Wildrose Rodeo Association Finals bullfighter in 2008. Tyson has been a member of the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association, as a rodeo clown/contract act since 2017.  He can be found in the arena with his clown crew close behind, Trace (12) and Tyler (11). Tyson enjoys bringing smiles and laughs to the many rodeo fans with his countless jokes, hilarious antics and entertaining acts. The Wagner Clown crew is very excited to be back at the Rainmaker Rodeo this year!

Junior Bull Riding 

Next we have the Junior bull riding and novice horse riding. These young teens got on the backs of these animals and try and hold on for 8 seconds. This is the event that gets these youngsters prepped for the big leagues.

Tie Down Roping

The cowboy has to rope the calf, get off his horse run to the calf and tie 3 legs. The tie has to hold for 6 seconds to qualify for a time. Fastest time in each event wins.

Bareback Riding

Is much the same as saddle bronc but without the saddle. The cowboy inserts his gloved hand into the suitcase handle-like bareback riggin’ which is made of leather and is cinched around the horse. He must keep his free hand up and away from the horse and riggin’ until after the 8 seconds. Then he can release himself from the saddle and get help off the horse from the pickup men in the arena. These stock animals get a flank strap put around them which helps them buck as they try to get it off.

Ladies Barrel Racing

Where they make two turns to the right and one to the left around 3 barrels. These ladies work with their horses to become one in the arena. Fastest time in each event wins.

Steer Wrestling

Also know as bull dogging, where the cowboy has to catch up to the steer, slide off his horse while grabbing the horns of the steer to get him stopped and wrestle him to the ground. The steer has to be on its side with all 4 legs extended to stop the time. The cowboy has a partner that hazes the steer. The hazer keeps the steer running straight to help the bull dogger catch it. Fastest time in each event wins.

Bull Riding 

Definitely the most dangerous event in rodeo. A braided rope is wrapped loosely around the bull with a weighted cowbell hanging underneath, allowing the rope to fall free with the ride is completed. The rope has a woven handhold that is pulled tight around the rider’s hand and with one more wrap taken to ensure a snug fit. The cowboy must keep himself close up on the handhold to prevent his arm from straightening and jerking his hand loose. He will be disqualified for failing to have a bell attached to his rope, touching the bull with his free hand or bucking off before the end of an 8 second ride. Once either bucked off or finishing the ride, he has to rely on the bull fighters to distract the bull so he can get to safety. The bull fighters play a huge roll during the bull riding event and risk “taking flight” to save a cowboy if he’s bucked off and got injured in the process.