On Aug. 25th, Westerner Park and the Red Deer & District Chamber of Commerce hosted the Rising Stars ‘Wild Card’ Rodeo presented by MNP LLP. The event gave young athletes from across Canada the opportunity to qualify for the Rising Stars Junior Canadian Rodeo Finals happening on Saturday, Nov. 3rd, where they will compete for the title of MNP Rising Stars Junior Canadian Finals Champion.

The timed events saw Macy Auclair in first place for the barrel racing with 17.219 seconds.

Jason Smith won the tie down roping with 10.0 seconds, and Pacean Deleeuw took home first place at the steer wrestling competition with 5.1 seconds. Wylee Squair and Kyle Wanchuk won the team roping with their 7.7 seconds.

In the afternoon, Blanke Link scored highest in the bareback competition with 61 points, Tyrel Roberts won the saddle bronc with 60 points, while Blake Smith was this weekend’s top bull rider with 71.5 points.

The Rising Stars Rodeo aims to provide a place for Canadian youth to showcase their rodeo talents in the same arena as the legend’s that they look up to.

The rodeo events were followed by a press conference, revealing the new Canadian Finals Rodeo brand, as well as top sponsors of the event, which comes to Red Deer for the first time on Oct. 30th— Nov. 4th.

The new brand is heavily focused on the athletes and livestock at the CFR, of which both organizers and sponsors are incredibly proud and want to display across Canada.

Additionally, Red Deer MLAs Barb Miller and Kim Schreiner announced that the Westerner Exposition Association will receive $250,000 in grant money from the Government of Alberta’s Major Fairs Program to help make the event a success.

The Canadian Finals Rodeo is expected to attract over 75,000 rodeo fans and visitors to Red Deer and generate more than $25 million in economic activity.

-Submitted by Westerner Park