Police, firefighters, and paramedics from across Canada will ride, run from, and play poker with bulls in St. Albert this Saturday to raise cash for kids and veterans in need.
About 1,800 people will fill the Kinsmen Rodeo Grounds (47 Riel Dr.) July 12 for the sixth annual Edmonton First Responders Rodeo. This event sees active and retired police officers, firefighters, and paramedics from across the nation wrangle wild cows and horses to raise money for the Zebra Child & Youth Advocacy Centre and the Legacy Place Society.
Guests will get to see about 200 contestants participate in 16 events, including bull riding, team roping, and mutton busting, said rodeo association president Brian Griffith. Top competitors will win championship belt buckles.
“It is a unique rodeo because all the contestants are first responders or their immediate family,” Griffith said, many of whom are not rodeo professionals.
“There are guys who are getting on the bull that have never been on one before.”
That was the case for Travis Baines when he tried bull riding at the rodeo for the first time about four years ago.
“I rode the bull for three seconds and then he rode me for three seconds,” he said.
“I was minorly trampled and my wife made me promise I’d never do it a second time.”
Baines will be bull riding for a fourth time this weekend, and is hoping to nab his second championship buckle.
Bulls playing poker?
Griffith and Baines said there’s a bit of crossover between rodeo and emergency response, as both draw folks who crave adrenaline and have a relaxed approach to personal safety.
While some come in with no rodeo experience, Griffith said there were plenty of experienced cow-wranglers on staff at this event to give competitors advice and keep them safe.
“If you’re going to get hurt at a rodeo, this is the one, as it’s full of paramedics,” he joked.
In addition to bouncy castles, a beer garden, and a barnyard dance, the First Responders Rodeo includes several offbeat rodeo events such as wild cow milking and cowboy poker.
Wild cow milking sees teams of three try to contain and milk a wild cow, Baines said. Teams typically have one person hold the front and the other hold the back of the cow in place while the third gets the milk and runs it to the judge. It’s very common for this to go wrong, resulting in competitors chasing after or being dragged by the cow.
“Cowboy poker is my favourite rodeo event,” Baines said, adding he won it the first time he tried it.
Cowboy poker sees four contestants sit at a poker table in the ring. An angry bull is then let loose in the ring, and contestants compete to see who can stay seated the longest. While you don’t actually play cards, you do have to bluff and read your opponents just like regular poker.
“It’s an exhilarating sport because you have very little control over what it is,” Baines said. He won last time because the bull decided to ram his opponent instead of him.
“It is a test of grit.”
Baines encouraged guests to come out for a fun time for a good cause. Griffith said organizers have raised some $110,000 for Zebra Child & Youth and Legacy Place so far and hope to bring in another $30,000 this year.
Tickets to the rodeo are available on site for $20; kids 10 and under get in for free. Gates open at 11 a.m., with the rodeo starting at 1 p.m. Visit firstwatchrodeo.ca for details.
