Vancouver Coast & Mountains


THE CLOVERDALE RODEO AND


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S N O W B I


R D S


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R V T R A V E L E R S


COUNTRY FAIR A Modern Event with a Traditional Flair


By Darci Friesen


With May 18th -21st, 2012 being the 66th year for the Cloverdale Rodeo, and the 123rd year for the Cloverdale Country Fair, it should go without saying that these events are epic. Voted as the Number One Performance Rodeo in North America in 1984 by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, the Cloverdale Rodeo and Exhibition is now the second largest community rodeo in Canada, attracting competitors and spectators worldwide. As the first major rodeo to


design and switch their formats to “Roughstock” (no roping or tie-down events), they revolutionized and laid the framework for the future of the


Cloverdale Rodeo


modern rodeo. Although this change, a decision made by the organization on a corporate level (aſter the ensuing death of a steer from a roping injury), caused the event to lose it’s sanctioning as a professional rodeo, they remained steadfast in their beliefs. “Aſter the tragic incident that


caused a steer to be put down, none of us wanted to risk a similar occurrence – it really had us shaken up,” relayed Laura Ballance, of the Laura Ballance Media Group for the Lower Fraser Valley Exhibition Association. “Even though we were uncertain about the


response that this change would bring among traditional rodeo fans, we stuck to our guns; we persevered!” Now, major rodeos across the


world are adopting what is now referred to as “Cloverdale Format”, with Houston, Texas leading the way. With the development of an association for those rodeos, that, following Cloverdale’s example, have removed any roping or tie-down events, Houston is hoping to one day get sanctioning for the “Roughstock” rodeos. With $300,000 in prize money to


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