For people like Edmonton cowboy and Police Air 1 Pilot Brian Griffith and many of the first responder community the Calgary Police Rodeo is a very special day.
“It’s amazing – I’ve been around rodeo my whole life,” Griffith said. “Everyone together … it’s an amazing day.”
This is the third year Griffith has competed in the rodeo … he has been with the Edmonton Police for eight years – four in patrol and four flying for Air 1 – he is on a leave of absence from the police service and is currently deployed in northern Iraq as a military pilot. He is presently on a three-week leave from the military to visit family and compete in the rodeo.
“Cowboy, cop and pilot … I couldn’t choose so I became all three,” Griffith said with a laugh.
Griffith competed in break away roping, team roping and saddle bronc – this year he placed second in both saddle bronc and breakaway roping – last year he bucked his way to a saddle bronc buckle.
It’s intense – there’s a fair bit of adrenaline,” Griffith said of his experiences in competing in saddle bronc for the past three years. “I look forward to getting on … I’m not scared anymore.”
Griffith hails the rodeo association for making this event an overall incredible experience.
“It’s a lot of first timers,” Griffith stated. “Everyone is welcome to try and learn … it’s a weekend of camping and fun.”
It was a successful year for the 2017 Calgary Police Rodeo with a record number of 130 competitors from the first responder community – and 1,500 people in the crowd.
The money raised from the rodeo will go toward the $10,000 it donates in May to the rodeo’s primary benefactor, The Missing Children Society of Canada, and its secondary benefactor, John Petropoulos Memorial Fund – established in memory of a Calgary police officer who was killed in the line of duty.
