Three Rimbey youths have qualified for the Alberta High School Rodeo finals coming up in Ponoka next month.
Sam Smith qualified for barrels and team roping and her sister Kennedy will compete in pole bending, break-a-way roping and pole bending.
Also moving on to compete in the finals in bull riding is Cawl Braithwaite, 18, from Rimbey.
He has been out of rodeo action for the last three events after being injured in Camrose.
“A bull stepped on me in Camrose. It wasn’t a real bad injury, I fractured a little bone in my back, but I’ll be alright by the time finals come around.”
Despite being out of commission for the last three rodeos, Braithwaite is sixth in the standings.
“I started rodeoing when I was 12. I won finals the first year I competed, but last year I didn’t go anywhere.”
Although Braithwaite didn’t compete in Rimbey, he helped in the shoots, flanking bulls.
The Grade 12 student at West Country Outreach School plans to attend college in Casper, Wyoming on a rodeo scholarship.
Sam Smith, who will also graduate from the Outreach School received a scholarship to attend Eastern New Mexico University in August where she will study environmental science.
The last high school rodeo before finals was held in Rimbey last Sunday and Monday.
Nicole and Butch Smith were the main organizers of the event.
“It was lots of fun and lots of work,” said Nicole. “We had 115 entries. We did have a downpour on Sunday, but Monday was good.”
The Alberta High School Rodeo finals will be held in Ponoka June 13, 14 and 15. Finalists from this rodeo will move on to compete in the national finals in Wyoming in July.