With this year marking its fifth year running, the organizer behind the Catherine Pearson Charity Rodeo has a few crowd-pleasing tricks up his sleeve. All in the name of sarcoma research and awareness.
“Every year it has gotten bigger and better,” said Steve Pearson, son of the rodeo’s namesake and spokesperson for the event. “We’re aiming to make our fifth year the best one yet.”
The action-packed rodeo is set to run Sept. 7 at the Wild Wild West Event Centre in Springbank. The rodeo is slated to begin at 3 p.m.
The event is held each year in recognition of Catherine Pearson, who died in April 2009 following being diagnosed by Leiomyosarcoma, a soft tissue cancer.
“When we first started with the rodeo it was to raise money for cancer, but it was ultimately an event about my mom,” said Pearson. “But it’s changed. It’s too late for her — but we’re moving forward.”
In addition to raising money for the Catherine M. Pearson Sarcoma Research Fund, the event acts as a way to raise awareness for the cancer, said Pearson. He said he hopes that by increasing the public’s knowledge of the disease, there will be a greater chance of detecting sarcoma in the early stages of its development.
The goal of the fund is to raise $1.5 million, 100 per cent of which will go directly to sarcoma research, said Pearson. So far, about $400,000 has been raised for the initiative.
This year, Pearson hopes the rodeo will push that dollar amount over the $500,000 mark.
The rodeo will feature a number of semi-professional bull riders testing their skills atop rank bulls, the daring display of trick riding from Smokin’ Aces Trick Riding Entertainment, and a high-flying performance from Keith Sayers and his team at Freestyle Motocross, a motorbike show from Montana.
The fundraising event will even challenge brave attendees with the third part of the rodeo: the Shoulda been a Cowboy Fun(draiser) Rodeo. Participants in this portion of the rodeo will put their cowgirl or cowboy prowess to the test, all while collecting funds for the Catherine M. Pearson Sarcoma Research Fund. These potential rodeo stars will compete in either cow riding or goat dressing contests.
This year, the charity rodeo will feature a brand new event: the Toro Totter. As seen in the film Jackass 2, the toro totter is a four-way teeter-totter that spins. Set up in the rodeo arena, four men will hop on the teeter-totter and a bull will be let loose in the arena.
Admission to the event is free, but donations to the research fund are encouraged. Gates to the Wild Wild West Event Centre will open at 2 p.m.
