The Cochrane Lions Labour Day Rodeo is back and bigger than ever for its 48th year with prize money that has doubled to a total purse of over $20,000.
The rodeo will run from Saturday, Aug. 30 to Monday, Sept. 1 at the Cochrane Lions Rodeo Grounds.
“Over the last three years, we went from 4,000 people to 13,000 people and we have learned a lot,” said rodeo chairman Kevin Firkus. “We aren’t changing anything, we are just trying to improve on everything we have done.”
Firkus has been with the Cochrane Lions for 13 years and has been the rodeo chairman for three years.
He said that the rodeo has become a kind of homecoming for some people and a way for newer residents to get to meet some of the people in Cochrane.
“It’s a great community and I want other people to experience it. We also have a great heritage and western culture in the town that I don’t think we want to lose,” said Firkus, who said he sees the rodeo as an important part of that.
On Aug. 29, the festivities kick off with the slack rodeo that will begin at 8 a.m. and runs all day. The Slimdor Ranch Rodeo will begin that day at 5:30 p.m. and both events are free.
Saturday, Aug. 30, the rodeo begins at 1 p.m. and a dance will start at 8 p.m. featuring the Blake Reed Band.
Sunday, Aug. 31 is family day. The day kicks off with the Cowboy Trail Church at the rodeo grounds at 10 a.m. and the rodeo starts at 1 p.m.
When the rodeo finishes around 4:30 p.m., there will be kid’s games until the family dance, which starts right after with local band Stratus.
Firkus said that last year was the first time that they chose to include the dances at the end of the rodeo and, with such a positive reaction, they decided to bring them back this year.
Monday, Sept. 1 will be the last day of the rodeo, beginning again at 1 p.m. It will include the Foothills Cowboy Association’s (FCA) breakaway roping finals and peewee barrel racing finals.
This day will also see the crowning of the new Cochrane Lions Rodeo Royalty and the Calgary Stampede Rodeo Royalty will be stopping by.
New to the rodeo this year is the addition of a JumboTron that will have replays and close up views of all of the action.
Another addition will be The Man Van that will be at the rodeo Sunday.
The Man Van is a mobile unit operated by the Prostate Cancer Centre in Calgary. According to their website, its purpose is to increase awareness of the importance of early detection of prostate cancer and offers on-the-spot blood testing.
Firkus said that he had seen it at a few rodeos before and wanted to bring it to the Lions rodeo this year.
“I had lost my dad to prostate cancer and we have a few people that are survivors in our club,” he said. “I know a lot of guys don’t go do it, so we figured, lets throw it in front of people. It’s pretty simple – they just walk over and get their blood tested. It’s 10 minutes and you’re done.”
Firkus said that 100 per cent of the profits from the event go back into the community through the work the Lions Club does in Cochrane. He said they put around $100,000 into the community each year through programs such as the Troy Thompson fund and funding teams such as the Cochrane Lions Football.
The costs of entry per day for the rodeo is $15 for adults, or $10 for ages 60 and over and 18 and under; kids 12 and under get in free.
