Founder and organizer of Cochrane Classic Bull Riding Jason Borton, is looking forward to celebrating two decades of bull riding in Cochrane, especially after a year with no rodeos.
“It’s been pretty crazy, 20 years from where we started to where we are now,” Borton said. “I’m pretty proud, the community of Cochrane and sponsors, I’ve tried to keep a lot of my sponsors local, how they’ve just stayed behind me, supporting it for all these years means a lot.”
Some of the longest-running sponsors include Drycleaning by Dave and CSN Cochrane Image Auto Body, among others.
Borton’s family has also been instrumental in the event’s success, “they’ve been there for all of it.”
Nearing the end of his bull riding career, he organized the Classic to stay involved in the sport.
It’s grown from modest beginnings to great heights in the bull riding sphere. In 2018, the Cochrane Classic was recognized as the top bull riding event in the country by Bull Riders Canada, the largest Canadian-owned and operated bull riding company.
“When I first started this, I started up in the old Cochrane hockey arena by the high school, then I ended up in the Spray Lakes Arena, and then at the Lions Rodeo Grounds. And now I think I’ve found a great home up at the Cochrane Ag Society,” Borton said.
This will be the event’s fourth year teaming up with the Cochrane Fair. The 20th annual celebration was to take place in 2020 but had to be delayed due to COVID-19.
Gates will open for bull riding at the fair at 6 p.m., with bulls bucking cowboys from 7 to 9 p.m.
This year’s list of bull-riders is not available just yet, and Borton is unsure whether anyone local will be riding.
Rodeos have only really started coming back to the province in the last month, Borton said. Not knowing who might have come-up in the last year or what riders have been up to adds an extra level of intrigue.
Over 20 years of organizing the event, he has seen a lot of young, skilled riders come up through the Cochrane Classic.
“All the guys, like over the years— The Turner boys [Jody and Steven] and then there's all the other local guys and how they, riding bulls, ended up being Canadian champions— They came through my bull riding,” Borton said.
Okotoks' own Jordan Hansen, the winner of this year’s bull riding event at the Calgary Stampede, is just one such example.
This year’s lineup will also treat attendees to half-time performances by powwow dancers and the Graham Sisters, a professional trick riding team.
Tickets can be purchased in town at Drycleaning by Dave and Tony’s Western Wear or purchased online through Eventbrite.
