A local couple has taken on the arduous task of hosting a rodeo on their farm.
But for Steve and Kim Dullard, it’s their love of the sport that has sparked months of work organizing the first Grand Valley Rodeo set for Aug. 17 to 19.
“We wanted to see something that is different, fun and exciting in our community,” Steve said.
“It’s just the love of the sport and we wanted to see an event like this happen here,” Kim added.
Steve is a regular at rodeos where he participates in team penning events which are considered “fun” events outside of the regular rodeo events where points are accumulated by contestants as part of the rodeo circuit.
Steve, who loves horses and took up penning four years ago, admits it was a dream he has had for over 30 years before actually doing it.
“I grew up with horses and loved it. You get into your career and put it off,” he said of his late entry into penning competitions.
The couple and their three children, Curtis, Greg and Jessie, operate a 100-acre farm where the rodeo will be held just west of Grand Valley.
Steve is the lone rodeo participant in the family with Kim and the children more interested in watching.
“I don’t pen or anything like that, I just spectate,” she said.
The family has nine horses which they ride as often as possible.
The couple is hosting a cattle sorting event at 5pm on Aug. 17, the opening day of the rodeo. The competition is open to riders of all ages. In cattle sorting, riders corral a group of cattle numbered between zero and nine. The intent is to corral the animals based on their numbers, which will fluctuate from participant to participant, in the fastest time.
“It’s like team penning,” he said. “The big advantage of that is you get a lot of people coming in who are not penners. It broadens the sport.
“The goal is to get more people out who have nothing to do with it (rodeos) and give it a try.”
From his team penning experience Steve has seen participants of all ages.
“At the Holstein Rodeo I penned with a guy who was 90,” he said.
For the actual rodeo events, Shawn Orr of A Bar K Ranch will be bringing in animals and organizing the contestants.
“We hired them to come in and they are doing the physical part of the rodeo,” Kim said.
Events will include roping, bull riding, calf wrestling and other rodeo competitions.
The rodeo will also include a beer garden and, on Saturday, a beef barbecue, concert (headlined by the Settlers Creek Band and also featuring upcoming singer Alana Wilson from the Erin area and Cambridge-based Cross Country Cowboys band), vendors, overnight “rough” camping and ample parking.
“We’re still looking for vendors if they’ve got something neat to sell,” Kim said.
The couple is hoping the rodeo will attract people living in rural and urban areas. They expect those planning to attend the rodeo will herald from a 75-kilometre radius. The rodeo wraps up on Aug. 19.
“What we’re wanting to do is have something that is entertaining and fun for visitors and competitors,” Steve said.
Kim said the couple has received an “excellent response,” from sponsors who have signed on to help offset the cost of putting on the rodeo. The couple isn’t staging the rodeo to make money.
“We are not making money out of this,” Kim said. “We’re doing this for the betterment of the community.”
They hope the first rodeo will be successful and give Grand Valley another annual event to attract visitors.
The couple urges vendors and people interested in taking in the rodeo to check out details on their website at grandvalleyrodeo.ca. and get in touch with them at the “contact” section of the site.
