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Spectacular Rodeo in Hairy Hill Delights Fans
Spectacular Rodeo in Hairy Hill Delights Fans
Tammy Hewitt - News Advertiser
Hairy Hill Rodeo had a fabulous show of stamina and family fun on July 4 and 5 that has continued on for 35 years with their original Rodeo Queen, Violet Sawchuk. After securing a camping spot, fans enjoyed the weekend’s events for this rodeo that is known Canada wide.
The rodeo was started as a way to organize an event for family and friends who would come to the Sawchuk farm to come hang out and do informal horse riding events together. As tradition of this event, there have been birthdays celebrated together though Mark Sawchuk expressed sadly that “ Lately, there have not been birthdays, mostly memorials.”
Each day’s rodeo featured events such as the Kids Wild Pony Race, Wild Horse Race, Wild Cow Milking alongside barrel racing and other rodeo staples. The wild horse, wild cow milking events were said to be part of what makes this family run rodeo unique from other rodeos. Each day concluded in an enthusiastic Whiskey Race where contestants ran (shoeless) from one side of the ring to the other before franticly searching for their footwear. The whiskey race gets its name from the historical Whiskey Trade Rebellion where distillers and farmers ran from the authorities to avoid paying a new tax on their products. A rodeo dance with good friends and a campfire went on as the sun dipped to wrap up the night.
Festivities on Saturday started with the good ole pancake breakfast, and Rodeo Slack. It continued in the afternoon with the Heavy Horse Pulls that whet fans’ appetites for the main rodeo that started at 4 pm. To entertain excited crowds, there were the same events as Friday with the addition of Sheep Riding and the conclusion of the silent auction which helps to raise funds for the rodeo itself on Saturday night.
To add to the fun, there were kids’ games and face painting throughout this event. A highlight for the kids being a draw for a kid’s bicycle each day. Event goers perused the silent auction as well as other vendors located by the concession throughout the day.
This event was sanctioned by the Lakeland Rodeo Association (LRA), Wildrose Rodeo Association (WRA) and the FootHills Cowboy Association (FCA).
