Tag: Excited

Posted on by

Strathmore excited for new Western Events Centre

Strathmore excited for new Western Events Centre

An exciting new facility that aims to highlight agriculture and the western way of life is being constructed by the Strathmore and District Agricultural Society. The society’s new Western Events Centre will be located just north of Strathmore on 146.63 acres of land at SW-30-24- 24-W4M.

A public hearing was held at Wheatland County council on Tuesday to speak about the construction of the centre, which will have a seating capacity of 1,500-2,000 and that will contain a variety of uses including an equestrian centre, entertainment venue, community and cultural facilities, and other compatible and supplementary amenities.

Ryan Schmidt General Manager of the Strathmore and District Agricultural Society speaks about what the facility will mean for promoting western heritage in the region.

“With this facility the ag. society will be able to accomplish its mission year-round by serving youth groups like 4H, Wheatland County cowboys and cowgirls, all types of groups that require facilities like that through the winter, but also will host major events at this facility huge barrel racing competitions, and cutting and reining competitions,” he said.

“We really see it as an opportunity to put Strathmore and Wheatland County really, at the heart of Western heritage in Canada. The place to go to experience real Western heritage. This facility will really take the area to a new level,” he said.

Schmidt said, “The Western Event Center and associated practical ranching school and year-round rodeo academy is an important project. And really, at the heart of the agricultural society’s strategic plan. We were very excited that yesterday Wheatland County approved our land designation request, which was an important step towards that goal.”

He said right now the society is conducting a feasibility study, “which is third party rigorous analysis of all of our business assumptions and basically making sure that the market demand is there.”

After the study, the society will move into the fundraising phase of the project. Afterward they hope to start construction in 2023.

The Western Events Centre will be located approximately 0.8 km northeast of the Town of Strathmore northeast of the intersection of Twp Rd 244 and Range Road 250.

The county meeting saw the public hearing, and the second and third reading of the bylaw pass. Bylaw 2022-06 was to redesignate the land from ag general to direct control district.

Some of the concerns from adjacent landowners were related to control and maintenance of local roadways as well as parking on site.

Another concern was related to the Strathmore Stampede and if any of the stampede activities that are normally hosted in Strathmore will be moved to the site.

The GM said that, “The Strathmore Stampede grounds in Strathmore will stay there and all the events we currently host at our AG grounds in the town of Strathmore will stay there.”

The Western Events Centre will provide for items like a commercial kitchen, livestock stalls, and enclosures, a riding arena and more. There will also be parking for up to 800 vehicles on site.

Send your news tips, story ideas, pictures, and videos to news@strathmorenow.com 

 

Posted on by

Sports This Week: Sask. rider excited for PBR team concept

Sports This Week: Sask. rider excited for PBR team concept

Abbey, Sask. rider Blake Smith has signed as a free agent with the Austin Gamblers

YORKTON – When it comes to sport development the PBR has proven itself rather adept at building ‘the brand’ of bull riding.

Certainly, bull riding has always been the premier element of rodeos, although I suspect there are saddle bronc riders, barrel racers and others who might take exception to that view. Still bull riders usually finish a rodeo as the highlight of the show.

So back in 1992 a group of 20 riders came up with the idea of shows with only bulls, and the PBR was born.

In the time since its founding PBR has become if not exactly a major sport when measured against football, baseball of stock car racing, at least a sport organization many have heard of.

According to pbr.com there are now more than 500 bull riders from around the world including the United States, Australia, Brazil, Canada and Mexico who hold PBR memberships, and events are shown on major networks such as CBS in the U.S. and TSN in Canada.

The success has been in large part because the PBR has always been innovative. They have married the product to key advertising brands. They have taken their events to what would not have been thought of US markets for rodeo, Los Angeles, Las Vega and New York among them.

And the PBR has changed how events are held, for example the PBR Global Cup pitting teams from the five big bull riding nations against each other in a team event setting.

And, now PBR is taking the idea of team versus team bull riding a step farther announcing recently the PBR Team Series, a new team-format league complementing its successful Unleash The Beast premier tour.

The PBR Team Series, which will span June to November 2022 in its inaugural season, following the May conclusion of the Unleash The Beast, is launching with eight founding teams playing a 10-game regular season culminating in a team playoff.

One of those teams is the Austin Gamblers, a team Canadian PBR fans are likely to flock too in-part because the Gamblers selected two-time world champion Jose Vitor Leme with the first pick in the PBR draft.

And of greater importance here in Canada, Griffin Smeltzer of Claresholm, Alta, and Abbey, Sask. rider Blake Smith have signed as free agents with the Gamblers.

Smith said the team concept appeals to him.

“I think it’s just awesome. I played hockey all my life and loved the team aspect,” the 20-year-old told Yorkton This Week. “I’m just thrilled.”

For Smith, who is in only his second year – his top finish was at the Lloydminster PBR Winter Classic last December – being part of a team will be a chance to learn, starting with sage advice Michael Gaffney who will coach the Gamblers.

“I can’t wait to get him videos of my riding,” said Smith who also competed in Yorkton last November.

It’s the same thing being on a team with someone like Vitor Leme. Who Smith said “will hopefully show” younger team members some of the things that have made him the best.

Smith also expects fans to like the team concept. He said when he was playing hockey fans liked wearing the home team’s jersey and he expects PBR fans to be the same.

For Smith being part of the inaugural edition of the Gamblers will be another step on a very new career, a career he said he has always wanted.

“I watched it for as long as I can remember,” he said.

And he recalls a mutton busting ride as a youngster where he made it around the arena when most fell almost immediately. The dismount had him landing on a stone, his hip left throbbing, but he still was thrilled by the ride.

“As soon as I was old enough I was steer riding at my local rodeos,” he said, adding he was hooked. “I couldn’t believe how much I fell in love with it.”

So turning pro was natural, something Smith said he wants to take as far as he can, while making some money along the way too.

To get better you of course need to ride bulls and lots of them.

“One hundred per cent, I’m always looking to improve myself,” said Smith, who went as far as to buy four bulls and set up a facility at home to practice.

Of course in Canada minus 40 weather in winter tends to limit ride options, so Smith called fellow Canuck Smeltzer to ask whether he should venture south to compete. The answer was a big yes.

“So I loaded up my truck and 25 hours later I was in Texas,” said Smith, adding for the last four months “I’ve been getting on bulls all over the U.S.. It’s been the best four months of my life. I’ve loved every minute of it.”

Posted on by

What Automotive Events Are You Excited For This Summer?

What Automotive Events Are You Excited For This Summer?

A photo of a teal NASCAR racer with the caption "See you at the racetrack."

Whether it’s a race meet or a car show, we want to hear what you’re planning this summer.
Photo: James Gilbert (Getty Images)

Here in New York, the days are getting longer, the nights are getting hotter and the amount I pay in rent to have easy access to delicious ice cream is finally paying off. That’s right, it’s almost summer! But summer isn’t only about ice cream, it’s also about attending some excellent auto events.

This month, we’ve got some absolute belters in the pipeline, from the Monaco Grand Prix and the 106th running of the Indy 500, to Florida’s round of Formula Drift and Rally Portugal in a few week’s time.

And with events returning to calendars as COVID-19 restrictions begin to ease, we thought now was a great time to find out what automotive meetups you are excited for this summer. So, what have you got coming up?

I’m getting pretty excited for the return of Formula E to New York City in July. The all-electric series takes over the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal for two days of racing, and a few of us from Jalopnik are heading down to see what it’s all about.

Then, later in the season, I’m getting my sights set on attending my first ever NASCAR race. I’ve got a few options in mind, but am always open to suggestions on which would be the best event to soak up the all-American NASCAR experience.

Fingers crossed there’ll also be time for a few weekend road trips and maybe a local car meet or two!

But what about you, what automotive events do you have penciled into the calendar for summer 2022? Head to the comments section below and let us know what races, car meets, track days or even museum visits you have coming up.

Maybe we’ll even be able to meet a few of you out and about later on this year.

Posted on by

St. John’s Mayor Excited for Return of Summer Events

St. John's Mayor Excited for Return of Summer Events

St. John's Mayor Excited for Return of Summer Events

The City of St. John’s events calendar is filling up quickly, and absolutely no one is complaining.

After two years of COVID interruptions, the entire province is prepping for Come Home Year.

But yesterday’s addition of a short-notice Royal Visit, and return of the folk festival to Bannerman Park, has the capital city feeling particularly positive.

Mayor Danny Breen expressed that sentiment at the conclusion of Tuesday afternoon’s public council meeting.

He says many are anticipating getting out and returning to things such as the pedestrian mall and the Royal St. John’s Regatta.

Cruise ships will also make stops again in St. John’s this year, not to mention the George Street Festival and the new Churchill Park Music Festival in August.