Bucking Tough Rodeo School Happens April 26-28

Jasey Hein

Bucking Tough Saddle Bronc and Bareback Rodeo School happens April 26-28 at Riske Creek, near Williams Lake. Eddie Gentles, Œ89 CFR contestant and 5 time BCRA champion, along with David Reid, 11 times CFR qualifier, are the Saddle Bronc instructors.

Bareback instructors are event organizers Jasey Hein, of Riske Creek, and Nels McIntyre, of Telkwa. Hein is the 1999 and 2001 BCRA Bareback champion and 1997 NRA (Northern Rodeo Association) Bareback champ. McIntyre is the NRA 1992 and 1994 bare back champion and 1987 IRA champion. McIntyre competed in the 1988/89 amateur Bareback Riding at the Calgary Stampede.

"The school will take place outdoors at Jack Palmantier¹s Riske Creek-area ranch, a regular practice spot for a lot of roughstock cowboys from around William's Lake", says Jasey Hein. "Jack has an excellent set-up".

Palmantier, who owns a herd of around 200 horses, supplies buckin' horses for pro rodeos like the Williams Lake Stampede, and sells saddle bronc and bareback stock to Earl and Roy Call's C+ Rodeo. Palmantier-raised horses have gone to the CFR and BCRA finals. All horses used at the school have been bucked before. There's a good variety from rank to nice, says Hein. "The horses are chute broke and have been bucked before."

Bucking Tough Rodeo School is open to anyone, including amateur or high school rodeo members. Instructors will focus on teaching safety, explains Hein. "We'll go through setting riggin, getting down on the horse, and how to get off when you're in a bind. We'll stress keeping a positive frame of mind, and how to use your head and not panic."

Gentles

Over the three days, students will receive individual and class instruction. "On the first day, we'll go over groundwork and get on horses in the afternoon", says Hein, "but we're not going to rush." At the end of every day, instructors and students will watch and discuss video replays of each ride.

Two sponsor buckles will be awarded to the most improved students. An open money-added jackpot will be held on the last day of the school.

"Anyone is welcome to enter in the open jackpot," says Hein, who plans to ride in the competition. For Bucking Tough Rodeo School participants, jackpot entry is included in the $100 entry fee. For non-participants, the jackpot entry is $50.

Instruction days start at 9:00 am. A hot lunch will be provided daily. For more information, please call Jasey Hein, in Riske Creek, at (250) 659-5833.

Other articles by Tammy Thielman