Recommended Programs
Free Traffic Programs Keyword Research Web Hosting Wholesale Drop-Shipping Email Marketing Audio / Video Marketing Website Templates Making Money |
Canada's Top Indoor Rodeo: Cowboys Ready for ActionCopyright © 2006-2008 Travel Alberta, All Rights ReservedWritten by: Travel Alberta Saddle Bronc rider Jess Martin will measure his first Canadian Finals Rodeo by eight-second intervals as he struggles to stay on a bucking horse bent on giving him the ride of his life in Edmonton, Alberta. Eight seconds is all he needs on the leaping and twisting animal to score during the country's biggest indoor rodeo. Eight seconds in front of 16,000 cheering fans packing Rexall Place as this Canadian gateway city goes hog wild from Nov. 8-12. By the time the woodchips settle and the cowboys dust themselves off, Martin, a resident of Dillon, Montana, will be one of the few Americans to have competed in the Canadian finals. This year is the first that the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association opened the door to U.S. riders. "They opened up the competition to Americans, which makes it a better rodeo because there's more competition," says Dustin Thompson, an Alberta cowboy and one of Martin's competitors. "We've got a battle with the Americans because they say we've got nothing on them, but we've got two of the three biggest rodeos in the world." Though Thompson has competed in the Canadian finals four times, he says he still needs to prepare himself mentally for the crowds, the fans and the intense pressure from the other cowboys who are all fighting for a slice of the million-dollar prize money-one of the biggest rodeo purses in North America. "I plan to go in a day early and sit in the stands and tell myself 'do you know where you are, do you know how lucky you are to be here' and give myself a pep talk,'" says Thompson, adding he'll compete the same way he has all year. If he wins, he could walk away with $60,000 cash and a new Dodge truck. "Edmonton goes nuts during the CFR," Thompson says. "On November 8th cowboys are bigger and better than the Edmonton Oilers." Plenty to Do in Edmonton Thompson's enthusiasm is hardly unique in Edmonton. This city of one million residents embraces the rodeo and offers great boutique shopping, fine dining and a host of professional sports on par with its international reputation. It's also home to West Edmonton Mall, Canada's largest indoor shopping centre. There are few services or amenities you won't find under its one enormous roof and plenty you would never expect, like a rollercoaster, wave pool and skating rink. Edmonton also hosts a stack of events that embrace the western lifestyle during the Canadian Finals Rodeo. It doesn't matter if you're looking to kick up your heels on the dance floor, cool 'em at the casino, stick 'em in some stirrups or just enjoy some authentic western chili or a traditional pancake breakfast, the city will deliver all that and more. Much more. "Edmonton is festive," says Bonni Clark, public relations spokesperson for the Northlands complex, home to the Canadian Finals Rodeo for 33 years. "You see a lot of restaurants and festivals and everyone dresses up in their cowboy hats and jeans. The city has a very western feel." Those who prefer to browse livestock are sure to feel at home at Farm Fair International. It kicks off Nov. 3 and is, at least in part, a conference of some of the world's finest livestock. The first half of the eight-day fair focuses on horses and smaller livestock. This is a perfect time to brush up on those horse-riding skills and to get answers to the questions you've never asked as some of the world's top trainers teach more than 24 clinics including horse racing, buying, nutrition, boarding and career opportunities. Enjoy Farm Fair International The second half of Farm Fair International is dedicated to cattle: the biggest, the most muscular, the purebreds, the best. This portion of the fair typically attracts ranchers, breeders, commercial cattlemen and feedlot operators, says Clark. What's more, she continues, the World Charolais Congress is meeting at the fair and will likely attract as many as 150 members. And if you still haven't had your fill of livestock and ranching life, or if you're looking for a place to unwind and get away from the hustle and bustle of a major urban centre, take a trip up to Lakeview Guest Ranch. Just an hour north of the city, Lakeview sits cradled between rolling hills and lush pastures on the shores of a picturesque lake. The ranch is open year round and offers a unique combination of recreation and relaxation. Head on up and experience life on a working cattle ranch in Western Canada. You'll find all the comforts of home, combined with the cowboy experience and beautiful surroundings. Back in Edmonton the fun continues outside the rodeo and fair grounds of Northlands. As part of the River City Roundup, fun events are liberally sprinkled across various venues throughout the city and its outskirts. The Roundup provides an opportunity for residents and visitors to become more involved in the western culture and cowboy spirit of the rodeo and Farm Fair International. "The Roundup really shows how Edmonton gets behind the festivals and how important western culture is to us," says Jennifer Fisk, a director at Northlands. "It's the bridge between Farm Fair International and the Canadian Finals Rodeo. When visitors come there's more for them to do than just what's on the Northlands grounds." But not everything in Edmonton at the Canadian Finals Rodeo is just for fun. This is the first year rodeo organizers are introducing the Tough Enough to Wear Pink campaign, a fundraising effort for breast cancer research. "The cowboys wear pink wrangler shirts beginning on Nov. 8, so we're encouraging people to dress in pink," says Bonni Clark. "There will be pink bandanas on sale in some western stores." Rodeo fans who buy the pink bandanas through Lammle's Western Wear and Tack get a discounted ticket to the rodeo the night of their purchase. "The cowboys really get on board with it. They love it," says Clark. "All these cowboys have mommas and they all love their mommas. Cowboy culture is very family oriented. Family means so much to these people. Their mothers, their children, their wives, so the cowboys bend over backwards to support something so important and so widespread that really touches the female element of our society." About The Author:
*** Digital Reprint Rights *** *** Author Notification *** We ask that you notify the author of publication of his or her work. Travel Alberta can be reached at: travelalberta@raremethod.com *** Print Publication Reprint Rights *** If you desire to publish this article in a PRINT publication, you must contact the author directly for Print Permission at: travelalberta@raremethod.com
|
Home | Article Distributions | Ghost Writers
Article Marketing Blog | Article Marketing Ebook
Unless Otherwise Noted, All Content On This Site Is:
Copyright © 2001-2008, The Phantom Writers