Review staff:
Rimbey Tie-Down rodeo competitor Dean Edge continued to rack up the wins in the past month or so, and also put some big dollars in his pockets following two big performances in Calgary and Consort.
“Yes it’s been great. I was in Calgary for the tour finale – it’s the first time it’s ever been held for Canadian rodeo, and I ended up winning a round there and won $3,500,” Edge said from Edmonton last Thursday night where he is participating in the Canadian Rodeo Finals. “I also went to a big jackpot in Consort and won $3,700, so it’s been going great over the last month.”
As for his chances in Edmonton this past weekend, Edge said he was confident and hoped to duplicate his efforts from a year ago that resulted in one of his biggest paydays to date.
“This week I’m at the Canadian Finals up here in Edmonton and I have high hopes for that,” he said. “I ended up finishing second and won $25,000 so hopefully this year I can win that much again or win the title. After this, for December I really don’t have anything going on before I get going again in January.”
Once the new year begins, Edge said he’ll be heading south of the border to participate in a number of big rodeos down there including the Denver Stock Show and Rodeo and other events in Fort Worth and San Antonio, Texas, Tucson, Arizona and then back to Texas where he’ll compete in Houston.
“Calgary pays out a little more money but they do a heck of a job in Houston though. It’s different, the arena is the same size of the whole football field at Reliant Stadium,” he said of the new facility which also doubles as the home of the NFL’s Houston Texans.
His trips to events across western Canada and throughout the United States are pretty-well entirely funded out of his own pocket, thus the importance of keeping up his winning ways, however he said he recently picked up a small sponsorship which will cover the costs of horse insurance and in exchange, will provide the sponsor with advertising.
As for his weekend of competing at the Canadian Finals in Edmonton, Edge said they also put on a tremendous event that draws huge crowds from far and wide.
“They fill it up. Last night (Wednesday) was the first round and it wasn’t full, but from tonight to Sunday, it’ll be a full house for every event,” he said. “There are 80,000 to 90,000 people who come and watch over the week. Country people come to town, and obviously city people come out, and they put on a great show.”
As successful as he has been over the past month and throughout his career, Edge was quick to give credit where credit is deserved and pointed to his horse Sid, who was recently named the horse of the Year for the fourth consecutive year, as the secret to his success.
“I owe a lot of my success to him, that’s for sure,” Edge said. “He’s so consistent for me, he’s just a tremendous athlete and a great animal to have. I sure am lucky to have him in the prime of my life right now.”