There will definitely be another Valley West Stampede, after the 91原创 pro rodeo saw attendance rise at the three-day competition that wrapped up on Labour Day Monday at the 91原创 Riders Society venue at 208th Street and 43rd Avenue.
Valley West president Sheila Hicks confirmed it on Tuesday, Sept. 5, telling the 91原创 Advance Times 鈥渨e are absolutely doing this next year.鈥�
鈥淲e鈥檒l be here Labour Day long weekend and we encourage everyone to come on out and check us out and see what we鈥檙e all about,鈥� Hicks said.
鈥淎nd if they don鈥檛 know what rodeo is, that鈥檚 fine, we鈥檙e friendly. Come on down, we鈥檒l show you what we do, and we鈥檒l explain our lifestyle.鈥�
At 9,867, attendance was up substantially from the first year, when the event sold out with 6,000 turning out.
This year, organizers doubled capacity by adding bleachers around the arena bowl, and a covered 300-seat area called the Train Station Bar used for entertainment after the rodeo events wrapped each day.
READ ALSO: 91原创鈥檚 Labour Day weekend rodeo doubling capacity
鈥淲e鈥檙e super thankful for the community support and everybody coming out and being so positive and welcoming all weekend,鈥� Hicks said.
鈥淚t couldn鈥檛 have gone better.鈥�
Riders from Canada, the U.S., Mexico and Australia competed in four events.
First place finishes were recorded by bare back rider Dantan Bertsch on Duane Kesler Championship Rodeo鈥檚 68 Knock Out, Saddle bronc rider Kole Ashbacher on Duane Kesler Championship Rodeo鈥檚 476 Double Red, Barrel racer Sissy Winn, and bull rider Coy Robbins on on Duane Kesler Championship Rodeo鈥檚 826 Fallen Angel.
Total prize payout in all categories $101,131.50.
鈥淭hese are the best two-legged and four-legged athletes in North America,鈥� Hicks enthused.
鈥淲e want to make sure that they come back, because without them we don鈥檛 have a show. And so we鈥檙e so thankful that everybody was treated so great and welcomed, and had a great time and an amazing experience. We just hope to continue that,鈥� she continued, 鈥渁nd we鈥檙e just thankful that they they trusted us to come on out and make it fun.鈥�
READ ALSO: VIDEO: A damp day two at Valley West Stampede in 91原创
