BIGGAR, Sask. – Four Saskatchewan cowboys trained for the World Championship Ranch Rodeo in Amarillo, Texas, last year by saddling their horses for work every day on their home ranches.
Battleford area cow-calf operators Dan Bertsch, Dale Vayro, Jim Robertson and Mark Ellis raise cows and horses on their own ranches but come together regularly for branding and roping cattle.
The men, who all have previous rodeo experience, competed for Bertsch’s 7D Ranch near Biggar in six events at the High River Old Time Ranch Rodeo in 2002 in High River, Alta. There they won the right to represent Canada at the world championships and compete against 17 other teams.
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Canadian teams regularly participate in the world rodeo, now in its eighth year. The Rocking P Ranch of Nanton, Alta., will compete there in November.
The events include bronc riding, team doctoring, team penning, team branding, wild horse racing and wild cow milking.
Bertsch said the rodeo circuit, sponsored by the Working Ranch Cowboys Association, is designed to reflect what cowboys do most days at home.
“It’s what we do for a living,” he said, noting entrants must run operations with at least 300 cows.
“It’s what we eat, sleep and breathe every day. It’s what we do.”
The events are timed and judged, similar to most rodeos, but there are some differences.
“They want you to do it in a relaxed manner,” Bertsch said.
“There’s no chasing cows, the point being not to run pounds off it.”
He said the 7D team’s best events at worlds were branding, doctoring and sorting.
“It’s just the usual stuff,” Robertson added.
“It’s all ordinary, whether you hit the ground or stay on your horse.”
Bertsch agreed, saying their tales from the ranch chores are just as good as those from competitions.
The trip cost the team about $1,200, which was raised through sponsorships and donations from the High River rodeo.
There was $120,000 up for grabs in Texas and trophies, bronzes and buckles in Alberta, but that’s just icing on the cake for these cowboys.
“It’s more for the bragging rights than anything else,” Bertsch said.
Musical shows, cowboy poetry and garb, old-time costumes and a trade show round out the event.
“Cowboys are cowboys,” Bertsch said.
“Maybe they dress a little different, but all had some wrecks and everybody did good.”
He said the rodeo is an especially welcome recreation this year for cattle producers like him hit hard by the bovine spongiform encephalopathy crisis.
“This is a nasty old way to make a living. If we didn’t have a little fun it would be a tough way to make a living.”
The four men have competed together for four years.
Robertson, who raises cattle and grows grain, has always lived in Saskatchewan, while the other three moved to the province to establish ranches in recent years.
The four men made the trek to Texas with their four horses in about 32 hours, but usually take family to competitions closer to home.
Ranches make up the teams so it’s commonplace to see parents and their grown children competing together.
Bertsch hopes the next generation will take its place in ranching and rodeoing one day.
Ellis, whose family has ranched in Canada for more than 125 years, said the rodeo showcases the ranching lifestyle.
“It’s a way for the working ranch people to show their stuff and have a day off.”
Vayro sees value in his children acquiring strong husbandry skills.
“Chances are they will be able to take care of themselves in life,” he said.
“Knowing how to tend to something and take care of business will give them better respect for people and life.”
Bertsch said his children will grow up with skills few others have, while Robertson added it’s the best way to live.
“It’s all I know and all I want to do and it don’t pay me pretty much nothing.”
