By Joel van der Veen

FINDLATER — Close to 1,200 people flocked to Findlater last weekend for a day of rodeo competition and fun for the whole family.

The Findlater Ranch Rodeo, presented by K + S Potash Canada, featured 10 teams competing in the main event on Aug. 6.

Taking home the championship buckles was the Guenther ranch team, consisting of captain Cheryl Guenther of Lanigan; Amber Guenther and Adam Siebold, both of Kelvington; and Tyrel Fousche, a former CCA champion who now lives in Regina.

The teams took part in five events, including team doctoring, team branding, the wild horse race, trailer loading and wild cow milking.

Organizer Shannon McArton said the last event in particular lives up to its name.

“These guys have to catch them and milk them,” she said. “It does get pretty crazy in the arena.”

McArton is one of six serving on the board of directors, which includes representatives from Findlater, Dilke, Holdfast and Bethune.

Beautiful weather on Saturday helped to ensure a strong turnout, she said, adding that some guests stumbled upon the rodeo after seeing the tents from the highway and wondering what the commotion was.

The rodeo is now in its eighth year and organizers seem to have hit upon a winning formula, as attendance has averaged around 1,000 people for the past five years.

The wild horse race was a new addition this year, but McArton said that generally the events stay the same from year to year.

Competitors have told them that the Findlater ranch rodeo draws the highest attendance in the province, she added.

For the full story, please see the Aug. 15 edition of The Davidson Leader or call 306-567-2047 to subscribe today.