The 101st annual Benalto Fair and Stampede was full of thrills, chills and spills over the weekend, as pro cowboys and girls flooded the small town.
The rodeo took place from July 5-8 with events all day outside at the Benalto Rodeo Grounds.
Winners of the prized buckles were decided after comparing all the rides from the weekend. The ones with the best times, or highest points, were award the top spot in each event.
The big event, bull riding, the winner received a prize of $1,109.20 for his 84.5-point ride. Eckville’s Austin Nash rode B 3310 Silver Jacket for the top spot. At the same event last year, Nash placed third in bull riding.
Second place in bull riding, and $831.90 went to Ty Ellis for his 78.5-point ride on July 7.
Dawson Hay from Wildwood, Alta. won for his 86.5-point ride on C5 Rodeo’s 1205 A11 Oney in the stampede’s saddle bronc event.
Kilby Manchuk rode for 85.5 points, earning him second place and $733.20. Tom Knight, finished the weekend in third place and $580.45 richer.
In the bareback event, first place the first place ride was 83 points. Luke Creasy, form Brownfield, Alta.,took the top tier in the event and $977/60.
Second place in bareback went to Pascal Isabelle for his 81.5-point ride. He walked away from the weekend with $733.20.
From Drayton Valley, Joe Guze took home the buckle in steer wrestling. Gus wrestled the steer down with an impressive time of four seconds flat. For his efforts, Guze won $1,382.68.
Second place was Matt Richards with a 4.1 second time. Just a hair slower, and in third place was Craig Weisgerber with a time of 4.2 seconds.
Tie-down roping saw a tie for first place. Both Kyle Lucas, from Corsairs, Alta., and Cade Swor, from Chico, TX, put up the same time. Each took home a prize of $1,374.28 with a time of 8.5 seconds.
Third place in tie-down roping was Logan Hofer, who was just short of first place with a time of 8.6 seconds. He won $1,086.64.
High school student Taylor Manning couldn’t be stopped in the barrel racing event. Her time of 14.916 won her $1,712.45 for first place.
Sydney Daines was just behind Manning. A ride time of 15.029 earned Daines $1,467.81 and second place. Third went to Bertina Olafson who rounded the barrels in 15.060 seconds. She left the rodeo $1,223.18 richer.
The team of Brady Tryan and Kasper Roy secured the buckle in the team roping event. The duo put up a time of 4.5 seconds earning them $1,199.44 each.
Clay Ullery and Riley Warren were only milliseconds second behind Tryan/Roy. With a time of 4.9 seconds, Ullery and Riley’s time at the Benalto Stampede ended in second place and $992.64.
Kristen Woosley and Denver Johnson finished the event in third place and $785.84. Third place was earned with a time of 5.3 seconds.
Rounding out the rodeo events for the weekend were the boys and novice events.
In novice bareback, first place was awarded to Jake Plotts, form Drayton Valley, Alta.. He rode for 75 points and left the rodeo with a prize of $353.08.
Second place was won by Colton Ouellette from a 62 point ride. He took away $264.81. Chet Dietz left with $176.54 in third place from his 61-point ride.
Hunter Sawley, from Fox Creek, Alta., took top spot in novice saddle bronc. Sawley’s 75-point ride earned him the prize buckle and $446.20
Cooper Thatcher earned 74.5 points for second place ride in saddle bronc and a prize of $334.65. In third place was Preston Ogle with 74 points. Third place earned him $223.10.
Tristen Manning, from Yellowhead County, Alta., took home the buckle in steer riding. He put up an impressive 83.5-point ride. For his untouchable go, Manning won $426.80.
With 73 point, Darrion Ference won $320.10 in the second place spot and Auzyn Cor placed third with 71 points, and won $213.40.
