The Calnash Ag Event Centre, located at 3611 Highway 2A, will host multiple events leading up to, and during, Stampede Week.
Central Alberta Team Penning will take over the area from June 21 to 23.
For working dog enthusiasts, there’s a new event coming to town this year: the Ponoka Ag Society’s That’ll Do Rodear June 25 and 26.
Coming back for a second year is the week-long Canada’s Greatest Horseman and Summer Spectacular Horse Show 2024.
That’ll Do Rodear
A new event to Ponoka, the That’ll Do Rodear is a cow dog trial which is sure to thrill spectators.
‘Rodear,’ a Spanish word meaning ‘to surround,’ is a sport that teams up cow dogs with a horse and rider.
Hosted by the Ponoka Ag Society, the event runs June 25 and 26.
The event is timed and scored, testing the skill of a dog, horse and rider to manoeuvre a small group of cattle through a series of obstacles in a race against the clock.
“It provides an event for the beginning of Stampede week,” said Amanda Green, the centre’s events coordinator.
The trial will feature two classes: the Horseback Open and the Horseback Intermediate. Each will have two runs.
The top per cent of each class will come back for the finals.
The nursery sidepot (under three years of age) will run within the open and intermediate classes. The champion will be decided on two runs.
There will be buckles and added money in all classes.
Follow Creed Ranch Stockdog Events on Facebook for updated entry information or call 780-360-5765 for more information.
Summer Spectacular
The Summer Spectacular Horse Show will return with aggregate prize money and prizes.
It runs from June 27 to July 1.
“It’s an incredible event showcasing the top horsemen and top equine athletes in Canada. They compete in four events: cutting, reigning, steer stopping and fence work,” said Green. “They are scored in all of those events.
“The winner of all of this will be crowned Canada’s Greatest Horseman.”
Canada’s Greatest Horseman
The Alberta Reined Cow Horse Association is bringing back the wildly popular Canada’s Greatest Horseman to Ponoka from June 28 to July 1.
“It’s very similar to last year’s event,” noted Green.
“We have lots of competitors coming in, and it will be going all the way until July 1 this year,” said Green.
She added that Canada’s Greatest Horseman is also a terrific event for folks to just pop in on as competitions are rolling all day long.
“There could be cutting going on, or there could be the working cow horse going on, or the reining — it’s all day, and it runs all weekend.”
There are added side pot incentives for Canada’s Greatest Non Pro and Canada’s Greatest Horsewoman.
READ MORE: Ponoka Stampede: Plenty to check out at the Wild West Tradeshow
Ag centre a community hub
Stampede Week also presents an excellent opportunity to showcase what the Calnash Ag Event Centre is all about.
For starters, visitors are invited to check out the Canadian Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame.
“I’d like to encourage people to go up and take a look around, and see the new inductees,” said Green.
“(The Ponoka Stampede) shows off our little town! It’s a big, busy week with so much going on.
“With a lot of our competitors, they look forward to coming back, too. We have a ton of people who enjoy showing here in all aspects, whether it’s during the Stampede or throughout the entire year.
“The Calnash Ag Event Centre is also so convenient during the Stampede. Many people can walk here from their camping spots. They don’t have to try and drive over, but if they do, the parking lot is big and it’s easy to get in and out of. We hear lots of good feedback from everybody.”
Terry Jones, a director on the Stampede Association board, agreed.
“We like to have things going on at the Calnash Ag Event Centre during the Stampede because we will have 100,000 people looking for things to do before and after the rodeos and the chuckwagons,” he explained.
Jones added that as the rodeo circuit kicks into such high gear, Ponoka becomes a kind of hub.
“They will come in and book a stall for the night, they’ll compete here in Ponoka, and then they will head out across North America,” he said.
“Overall, it’s such a busy time for the rodeo world — they call it ‘Cowboy Christmas’ that week!”
Ponoka News is your source for all things Ponoka Stampede leading up to and during Stampede Week June 25 to July 1. Find more Ponoka Stampede stories here.
