Josh Peek, of Pueblo, Colo. is unique at this year's Stampede. (Jae C. Hong/Associated Press)One of the things I love most about the rodeo format now featured at the Calgary Stampede is that rodeo competitors are in the arena for four consecutive performances. (At most rodeos, contestants compete at one performance then head down the road to their next rodeo.)
The tournament approach in Calgary offers athletes an opportunity to visit with and enjoy one another, and fans learn more about them as competitors and as individuals.
Pool A contestants have finished the first two days of competition and are getting comfortable with the routine of being Stampede qualifiers.
For 'timies' (barrel racers, steer wrestlers and tie-down ropers), the day usually starts at the barn. If you haul your own horses (as barrel racers and some ropers and doggers do), it's up early to feed and water your horses and get your stalls cleaned.
Barrel racers often saddle up and ride over to the arena to work their horses before the day's performance. Ropers will lounge around trucks and trailers to share insight into the calves or steers - which animals are solid draws, which ones provide less opportunity to the cowboy.
Bales of straw with plastic steer heads protruding from them are everywhere as ropers a warm up and settle their nerves.
Along with this less-transient schedule comes a window of time for people like me to sit down and visit with some of the athletes competing at the timed event end of the arena.
Mom and Barrel Racer
Lisa Lockhart has always ridden - in fact, she claims one of her first baby sitters was her pony! Not hard to believe when you see the talented barrel racer in action.
Lisa hauls two horses down the road - 10 year old Chisom and 17 year old Sterling. The Montana native and mother of three is married to professional tie-down roper, Grady Lockhart.
The couple divide their time between ranching and training horses from their home near Oelrichs, South Dakota. And when the Lockhart family heads to a rodeo, it's almost always with the whole family in tow.
"This year we came up to Canada in early June," Lisa comments, "The kids (Alyssa, Thane and Cade) finished school at the end of May. Besides rodeo, we've been fishing, swimming and sightseeing."
The Lockharts have rodeoed in Canada for the past 13 years… coming up mainly to the bigger shows. When they're on the road, rodeo is important but turning the experience into a holiday for their kids is imperative as well.
In 2006, the Canadian Finals Rodeo broadened its rules to include international qualifiers who attended the requisite number of Canadian rodeos.
Lisa was named Canadian Champion that year and has since gone on to qualify for a second visit to the year-end finals staged each November in Edmonton, Alberta. Lisa also attended her first National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, Nevada last year.
Competing at the Calgary Stampede is exciting - in part due to the elite field of athletes, and partly because of the payout involved.
Today saw Lisa on top of her game; first out in the field of ten barrel racers, Lisa won the round and the $5000 first-place cheque. With a week that has included both truck and horse trailer problems, to the extent that her children are staying with her sister back home for this run, Lisa was still able to focus on her game plan.
When I finished my visit, Lisa saddled her backup horse and rode off down the Stampede track. Her evening plans included a phone call home to her kids.
Modern Day Cowboy
I chatted as well with Josh Peek earlier today in the Calgary Stampede hospitality tent. The first thing I noticed… the engaging Colorado cowboy is very much an entrepreneur and businessman. And he's as knowledgeable about technology and marketing as he is about roping and bull dogging.
Tall, talented and well-spoken, the 28 year old is unique at this year's Stampede. He's one of a handful of two-event qualifiers. Josh enjoyed a second day of success (he won the round in the steer wrestling yesterday; today he placed in tie-down roping.)
Josh and his brothers (Jon and Jeremiah) are all Professional Rodeo cowboys. Together they form Peek Rodeo and are no strangers to using today's technology to promote their talents and their sponsors.
"We went to the web to better serve our sponsors and to build a fan base," explains Josh. "Our website (launched in April, 2007, peekrodeo.com) is one more way to provide exposure to the companies that work with us and to allow us interaction with fans and spectators."
Josh has been instrumental in ensuring that the site contains updated photos and blog entries. A National Finals Rodeo qualifier, Josh also runs a cattle hoof trimming business that often sees him fly home between rodeos to catch up with his clients.
Though advanced in his use of technology, Josh's rodeo roots are very much steeped in western family heritage. "My dad taught me how to rope; he rodeoed, but stayed closer to home." Josh's parents are enjoying some time in Calgary helping their son with his horses throughout the 2008 Stampede.
It's Not Just About the Money
So yes the Calgary Stampede is very much about the $1.8 million dollar pot of gold at the end of this rodeo rainbow. But for the competitors, it's also about fun, friends and family.
The fun part? Take the opening ceremonies, for example. Everyday the contestants are introduced in the arena en masse. And as they run in, there's lots of good-natured pushing, foot races and laughter.
There are even a few cell phone cameras as competitors capture the moment. Not every one of these men and women will win. But I'm sure getting the feeling every one of them is glad to be here.
Barb Poulsen is a web/print designer, free-lance writer and barrel racer. Raised in Saskatchewan, she's lived over half her life in rural Alberta. A teacher for many years, she's also enjoyed participation in the western lifestyle - mainly through ranching, rodeo and of course, her horses. Barb lives south of Calgary on a small ranch in the Porcupine hills with her writer/rodeo announcer husband, Dave.
