A year ago at this time, as Jack Daines announced it would be his last time organizing the Daines Ranch Pro Rodeo, there were plenty of questions about the future of the event.
While Jack was certainly the face and the voice of the rodeo, turns out the family’s next generation is proud of the half-century tradition bearing the Daines name, and they’re eager to carry it into the future.
So once again the picturesque rodeo grounds just north of Innisfail are full of horses, trailers and cowboys. The 55th edition of the Rodeo is underway, with the slack, or overflow, taking place today.
While Jack will still be around, it’s the Daines ‘cousins’ at the helm this year, according to spokesman Kyle Daines. The saddle bronc rider has been joined in the effort by Dana Smith Daines, Dusty, Wyatt, Adam, and on the entertainment front, Denver Daines.
“And my dad Danny has been a big help too,” noted Kyle.
While the new crew has kept a lot of the familiar elements to the event, there are also some fresh features.
“We held a bucking bull futurity Tuesday, followed by a sale of bull riding stock that night at the auction market,” said Daines.
There were 42 bulls in the futurity, which was topped by an entry from Young Money Cattle Company, earning $2655. A bull from Wild Hogg’s came in second, followed by Flying High Rodeo Company of Elnora in third place. Flying High also topped the evening sale, attracting $14,500 for a bull calf called International Gangster. Four of the forty sale lots brought $10,000 or more.
One of the new Innisfail rodeo approaches Daines is most excited about is tomorrow’s Junior Rodeo at 1:00 pm, which will feature all the novice and youth events at once, along with a few pro bull rides.
“We’ve invited the Innisfail Middle School out, so there will be some 400 kids on the hillside,” grinned Daines, who believes it’s important to build some new fans of the sport.
With the pro rodeo prize money the same as last year, entries are strong and feature all of Canada’s best rodeo contenders, as well as some American participants. As always, the barrel racers lead the charge with 122 entered.
One of the goals is to up the entertainment value and keep the performances around two hours in length.
“We want to people to be entertained. It seems a two hour window is just right. People don’t want to sit longer than that. We want to keep everybody there, and have them wanting to come back.”
Rodeo clown Dennis Halstead is on the program, along with popular equine performer Niki Flundra. The scoreboard this year will have video. Former bull rider Tyrel Jensen has crafted the trophy buckles, and the barrel racing winner will receive a trophy diamond ring this year. As always, there’s a strong emphasis on top bucking stock, and some new participants will be there, like Bar C5, Nanson Vold and Flying High Rodeo Company.
Daines has studied the matchups and points to several he feels could be highlights this year, like Canadian Bareback Champion Jake Vold on Kesler’s Blue Wings, or saddle bronc rider Jim Berry of Rocky on Turbo Rocket, while Ponoka’s Luke Butterfield gets to nod his head for another Calgary Stampede horse, the legendary Stampede Warrior. Bull rider Scott Schiffner is matched up with one called I’m a Hustler.
Neither Kyle nor his cousin Denver will be bringing their bronc saddles to the rodeo this year as contestants, focusing instead on producing a successful event.
And on the sidelines, Jack Daines has been offering his experience and advice, and helping the next-gen Daines deal with sponsors.
“Jack has done such a great job for 54 years,” commented Kyle Daines. “He’s helped introduce us to sponsors, so he can hand it over completely next year. We want him to be able to come and just enjoy the rodeo. It’s his turn to watch what we can do now.”
Like the other members of his family, Kyle grew up with the rodeo, and has many special moments from the past etched in his mind.
“I remember things like when Dan Mortensen and Rod Hay had a bronc riding showdown. It was the kind of thing that makes your hair stand up on your neck.”
“We just wanted to continue the tradition Jack started. We don’t want to change a lot, just a few little things. We’d love to be able to take this rodeo another 54 years, and hand it over to our kids!”
The Junior rodeo starts at 1:00 pm tomorrow (Friday), with the pro performance beginning at 7:00 pm. A ticket for the afternoon will include the evening action as well. On Saturday there’s rodeo at 1:00 pm and 7:00 pm, with the final performance Sunday at 1:00 pm. The $20 admission tickets are available at the Daines Ranch gate.