The first-ever Canadian Indian Rodeo Finals will be held this Thanksgiving — and Saskatoon’s Prairieland Park will be hosting the inaugural event.
Previously, there was no rodeo finals for Canadian competitors of First Nations or Metis ancestry.
Canadian Indian Rodeo spokesperson Sandra Merchant says Canada isn’t really represented much in the All-Indian World Finals in Las Vegas:
“We thought, ‘You know what? We’ve got to have something here in Canada.’ It’s never been. And the recognition just for a Canadian champ I think is what we want to see. You don’t hear a whole lot when you go down to Vegas and a Canadian does win a championship. It’s talked about there, and that’s it — it doesn’t go anywhere else.”
The top 12 Indian cowboys and cowgirls will be competing for the Canadian title.
Canadian Indian Rodeo will have six Tour rodeos this summer, four in Alberta and two in Saskatchewan.
A separate rodeo association will have its top six competitors earn a spot at the finals, with the remaining six from the Canadian Tour.