Calgary Stampede

If you ever wondered where rodeo champions get their start, just watch the youngest competitors at the Calgary Stampede.

You'll see plenty of enthusiasm for the western pursuits in events like the wild pony race, a fan favourite, the novice bareback and bronc riding events that kick off the daily rodeo performance and in the junior steer riding.

These are kids who want to be back at the Calgary Stampede some day, competing for the $100,000 cheques.

It's where cowboy dreams are born - and having good rodeo bloodlines helps in that pursuit.

Today's program featured two steer riding brothers who see a Stampede champion bronze every day at home.

Lonnie and Bryce West are the sons of Kevin West, the $50,000 winner and bull riding champion at Calgary in 1989.

They'd like to follow in Dad's footsteps, and the middle son has made a good start.

Lonnie claimed last year's junior steer riding championship at the Stampede and he'd like to defend his title this week.

Kevin West is pretty proud of his son's accomplishment.

"Probably more so than him," chuckled the Cadogan rancher. "I was more excited when he won it than when I did, actually.

"It's different when you've got kids. When I was riding in my prime and doing good at rodeo, you're not thinking about being married and having kids.

"It's a different deal when those kids show up. I get nervous when I'm helping them on and I wasn't that way when I rode bulls.

"Lots of times, I'd sit down and have a cheeseburger right before I got on. I just didn't get nervous.

"You just went out there and either you rode or you didn't. You just tried your best and the outcome was a surprise every time.

'But with these kids, you're hoping that they're going to do good and, of course, ride. But then you've got the, 'Oh, I hope they don't get stepped on or get their leg twisted in the chute or something,' it's a way more stress with kids."

'It's been strictly cowboy stuff'

Following in cowboy footsteps wasn't something Kevin and wife Wendy really pushed with their family, but it seemed to come naturally.

Steer riding was something all three boys wanted to do, and their older sister barrel races.

"Our kids never played hockey or baseball or anything," West said. "It's been strictly cowboy stuff."

West quit bull riding himself in the spring of 1992 after breaking his shoulder.

That was long before the boys came along, so they've only seen Dad's bull riding talent a few times on tape.

"I never saved much," West said. "I've got some pictures, but that just wasn't my deal."

"I've got the bronze and some buckles, but my buckles are kind of pushed to the side now on that trophy table," he smiled. "These boys get trinkets everywhere."

'It just grows them up'

Billy, the oldest, looks most like his dad - long and lanky.

But at 15, he's too old to ride in the Stampede and is riding amateur circuits, which allow them to compete one more year.

Lonnie is 13, while Bryce turned 12 at the end of June and is in his first year of competition on the rodeo trail and at the Stampede.

Being back behind the chutes at Calgary with his boys brings back lots of memories for West.

"I knew exactly how Lonnie felt last year when he walked up on that stage," he said. "That's way scarier than having to get on, to go up there in front of all those people and have to talk.

"Lonnie's pretty shy, but it's good for the kids to have to do interviews and thank sponsors and meet everybody. It just grows them up and makes gentlemen out of them."

'The kids just eat it up'

Both boys may have to prepare for that possibility.

On Thursday, Lonnie marked 76.5 points to tie for the lead in steer riding.

Bryce was just one point behind, which should bring them both back for Friday's finals.

"They grow with the sport," West said. "The kids are kind of immune to pressure.

"They're out there to have fun. They're more interested in hanging around their buddies and seeing their heroes.

"Guys like bull riders Tyler Thomson, Ty Elliot and Denton Edge, they're all there to help these boys on every rodeo we go to. I have to kind of squeeze my way in between these guys to be part of it.

"But the kids just eat it up. They love it and it builds cowboys out of them - it really does.

"Hanging around the champions, that's what they want to be, that's what they see in their future and that's all they talk about every day. If they're that gung-ho on it, then we're 150 per cent behind it."