by Roxanne Sapergia
Every November 2006, Edmonton, AB, hosts one of Canada’s premier livestock events. Farmfair International is a showcase for livestock where buyers, sellers, exhibitors, and spectators are treated to a vast array of events, demonstrations, sales and entertainment.
For the past two years, Farmfair International has added a Heritage Ranch Rodeo and a Working Cow Horse Competition to its ever-increasing lineup of equine events. With an increase in interest and prize money, this year’s contests were both entertaining and exciting as riders fought their way to the top of the leader board.
In Working Cow Horse, competitors showed their young derby horses in the Open and Non-Pro Divisions. Open only to four- and five-year-olds, this year’s derby would prove to be as tough as 2005.
Rising above the tough, fast cattle, and challenging ground conditions, the Non-Pro class was a husband and wife race to the finish. As Heather Baumgardner of Spruce Grove, AB, and Spot Chex Olena took the lead after the herd work, husband Darren Baumgardner and Docs Prescription Hi would prove they were there to defend their 2005 Non-Pro Derby win.
Going into the final fence work, Heather and Darren were just half a point apart. When the gate opened Heather drew a hard-running cow, but she cowboyed up and gave it her all.
Even after a good, hard try, Heather was unable to hold her lead and had to graciously accept the reserve championship, which she split with Dan Stanley of Onoway, AB, and Listo Oaklalena as husband Darren, once again, captured the Non-Pro Derby Championship.
Although not able to secure the champion buckle in the Non-Pro, Heather was awarded the use of a new fancy trailer, which was graciously donated by Allan Dale Trailers of Red Deer, AB.
With all of the Non-Pro riders names entered into a draw, they were randomly pulled out one at a time. As the excitement began to build and only two names remained, announcer Ron Anderson pulled out the second last name of Veronica Swales leaving only Heather remaining.
I am sure I can speak for all of the competitors, and especially Heather, as I say thank you to Allan Dale Trailers for this great prize!
With a fence score of 74, Loren Christianson of Stony Plain, AB, and Nic O Lena Badger, owned by Kelvin and Shelly Clark also of Stony Plain topped a very competitive field of Open Derby horses with a total score of 216.
With 71s in both the herd and reined work, Christianson and the beautiful bay stallion needed to draw a winning type of cow. Instead, they drew a hard runner and showed why Christianson is a top competitor.
Nic O Lena Badger stepped it up when asked and handled the hard animal and the pair were deservingly rewarded for the degree of difficulty.
Not far behind was Clint Christianson of Bracken, SK, and Ime A Genuine Dual, owned by Josh Entz of Lethbridge, AB, with a score of 213 followed closely by Dale Clearwater of Hanley, SK, and Cook N Oak owned by Dale and Carol Haight also of Hanley.
The Open Bridle was another close race as the top four horses were only a point apart. John Swales of High River, AB, and All Reddy Doc owned by Doug Sapergia of Okotoks, AB, took the lead with a score of 144.
However, always competitive, Brad Pederson of Lacombe, AB, and Another Hot Chic owned by Ron Mathison of Calgary, AB, immediately followed with another score of 144 and Vance Kaglea of High River, AB, and Pickachiclet owned by Terri Holowath of Cayley, AB, with a score of 143.5.
Jesse Thomson and Genuine Gina, owned by 7P Ranch Horses, secured the fourth spot with a solid 143. According to NRCHA rules the high fence score is presented as a tie-breaker for the championship buckle and John Swales and All Reddy Doc were declared the 2006 Open Bridle champions.
The Heritage Ranch Rodeo was no less exciting. This year, 13 ranches from as far away as British Columbia and Manitoba participated in seven events on November 5 and 6 with the top eight teams returning for a final go-round on November 7.
Cowboy skills were tested to the limits as teams competed against each other and the clock in events such as Bronc Riding, Team Doctoring, Wild Cow Milking, Team Branding, Wild Horse Race, Team Sorting, and Working Cow Horse. All of the events were designed to challenge the cowboy’s skills he used in every day life on the ranch.
With teams coming from the big outfits like Douglas Lake Cattle Company in BC and the Sears and Rocking P Ranches in Alberta (where the cattle numbers range from 10,000 to 20,000 head) the cowboys are able to bring a great deal of experience with them into the arena.
The smaller ranches such as Willows Ranch of Buck Lake, AB, and the Porcupine Quill Ranch of Cowley, AB, were able to prove that size doesn’t matter, as they were the only two teams to score points in every single event in the final performance.
The Willows Ranch of Buck Lake finished off this year’s Heritage Ranch Rodeo in the top spot with a total score of 46 points.
The Rocking P Ranch of Nanton, AB, placed second with a score of 40 points. The Historic Bar U Ranch of Longview, AB, finished third.
Fourth place went to Leslie Ranch of Maple Creek, SK. Porcupine Quill Ranch, of Cowley, the Sears Ranches of Nanton, and the K Bar S Ranch of Eriksdale, MB, placed fifth, sixth, and seventh respectively while the River Ranch of Riske Creek, BC, rounded off the top eight teams.
