NIPAWIN — Wanting to have at least one rodeo that didn’t require a long drive, a high school rodeo mother decided to host a rodeo right in Nipawin.
Most Saskatchewan High School Rodeo Association events happen in the south, with the closest ones located in Rosthern and Martensville.
The Get ’Er Done High School Rodeo, held at the Centennial Arena over the Victoria Day long weekend, is the first high school rodeo hosted in Nipawin and the first one to be indoors with the exception of the rodeo at the Canadian Western Agribition.
“Swift Current usually holds this rodeo but the family that put on the Swift Current rodeo, all their kids have graduated, so they were no longer going to host rodeos, so we put in a bid and got it,” said organizer Becky Demmans.
Demmans has three daughters involved in the sport: Sarah, who’s in Grade 11; Lauren, who’s in Grade 8; and Haley, who’s in Grade 6. They were among the 125 contestants competing at the rodeo. Around 85 families came up to Nipawin to compete for the weekend.
“Once we got the okay that we got accepted to host, it all depended on our sponsorship that we could get because it costs probably about $25,000 to put this rodeo on,” Demmans said.
The community, the town, exhibition association and local businesses responded, making the event possible.
“They have went above and beyond and everybody that has come to this rodeo is blown away by our grounds,” Demmans said, adding later the rodeo relied on community support and the community knocked it out of the park.
Events at the rodeo included bull riding, bronc riding, barrel racing, roping, poles and goat tying.
“We have all of the events you would see at a professional rodeo,” Demmans said.
There was a junior high school division for Grade 6 to 8 students and a high school division for Grades 9 to 12. The winners didn’t receive any prize money, but they do receive points. At the end of the year, the top four in each event go to nationals, which includes all of the Canadian provinces and American states. For high school, the nationals are in Rock Springs, Wyoming, while for junior, they are in Huron, South Dakota.
“I just think it’s a really great sport for youth and families,” Demmans said. “You travel together and you compete together as a family every weekend of the summer and lots of the heroes that you watch compete in the NFR [National Finals Rodeo] have all high school rodeoed.”
The organizer added the kids treat each other like family, cheering each other on.
Demmans said she plans to organize another high school rodeo in Nipawin next year.
