Biggest crowd in years

By Kevin Diakiw - Surrey North Delta Leader - May 18, 2008
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It was one of the biggest crowds in recent memory at the Cloverdale Rodeo this year, officials say.

The record won’t be broken, but rodeo spokesperson Laura Ballance said the Cloverdale Fairgrounds hasn’t seen anything like it in years.

On Monday, the crowds continued to pour into the Fairgrounds despite the rain, to see the best cowboys in the world face off in the final events and compete for the remaining $200,000 in prize money.

“It was phenomenal,” Ballance said Monday afternoon.

The cowboys at this year’s rodeo were outstanding, and the scores reflected that.

Judges’ scores, typically seen in the 70s for cowboys on a decent performance and in the 80s for exceptional, reached 91 for both the saddle bronc and bull riding event.

Rocky Rockwell, a long-time fixture at the Cloverdale rodeo, said he hasn’t seen scores like that - anywhere.

He’s been involved with the Cloverdale rodeo for 20-plus years and hasn’t seen that kind of talent, not only here, but in similar shows held in the United States.

Gerry Spielmacher, president of the Lower Fraser Valley Exhibition Association, was equally impressed.

Spielmacher said there was a good deal of fear coming into this year, which has completely changed.

Last year, rodeo officials decided to end some of the more controversial events including steer wrestling, tie-down roping and team roping.

“We respect the heritage of pro rodeo, but for our event, in our community, it was the right decision under the circumstances,” said Rodeo Chairperson Penny Smythe. “And because we no longer have all the required pro rodeo events, we were able to refocus our prize money into the events which are truly the most popular here in Cloverdale – Bareback, Saddle Bronc and Bull Riding and Ladies Barrel Racing."

The re-allotment of the $360,000 in prize money means Cloverdale can now attract the top 24 cowboys – and cowgirls – worldwide.

Spielmacher said Sunday he was pleased to see the level of talent that came for the big purse.

One of those competitors, was Vernon bull rider Ty Elliott who came in second in Monday’s final showdown.

And the talent bull riding was fierce, with the top five bull riders all within 2.5 percentage points of each other Friday in an immensely contested buck for first spot.

Zac Dishman took a huge spill at Monday’s bareback event, cracking his head against the back of the horse, and knocking him unconscious.

He was taken to Surrey Memorial Hospital and was later released.

Ballance said Dishman was eager to be realeased because he had to get off to his next event.

Specific attendance numbers won’t be known for a couple of weeks, but about 20,000 showed up to the rodeo this year. Even though there was one less show last weekend, it topped the 17,500 of last year.

About 80,000 came to the fair component.

The fair offers hundreds of free-with-admission, exhibits, arts and crafts competitions, horticultural displays as well as B.C.’s largest travelling midway.

kdiakiw@surreyleader.com


Photos by Boaz Joseph.

Buy Cloverdale Rodeo photos at the Surrey Leader Photo Store.


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