The Grandstand has been a great venue to host a rodeo, and over the years it has hosted many, with aspiring bull riders testing their mettle for Yorkton audiences. But what was it like for those cowboys? In 1983, at the 100th Yorkton Fair, Yorkton This Week鈥檚 Jeff Rud spoke to two bull riders about their experience. The following is his story, reprinted from the July 13, 1983 edition.
Cody Snyder and Dan Lowry relaxed with a beer in the shade of their van last Wednesday afternoon, gearing up for another long series of trips.
The pair had just finished competing in the bull riding event, part of last week鈥檚 Saskatchewan Stampede and Exhibition rodeo.
There wasn鈥檛 much time to reflect on their performances, however. They had to hit the road for Alberta and the prestigious Calgary Stampede bull riding event Friday. By Sunday, they were in Montana for another rodeo.
鈥淭he bull didn鈥檛 buck,鈥� drawled Snyder, summing up his ride in Yorkton, one of the few events he hasn鈥檛 placed in this year.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 half the marking 鈥� the way the bull bucks. It鈥檚 really the luck of the draw.鈥�
The other half of evaluation in bull riding is, of course, how well the cowboy rides. Snyder and Lowry have excelled in that respect so far this year.
Snyder, at just 20 years of age, is second in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys鈥� Association world bull riding standings this season while his travelling partner, Lowry, is fourth.
After a couple of lean yeas as a pro, Snyder has come into his own as one of the top circuit bull riders. This year alone he has made $38,000 ($89,836 in 2020 dollars).
Lowry, 29 and a seven-year professional, is no slouch either. He has pocketed $28,000 ($66,195 in 2020 dollars) this season.
鈥淭his year we鈥檝e both set our goals on making the national finals,鈥� says Snyder, referring to the ultimate in rodeo competitions, held in Oklahoma City each December.
The top 15 riders qualify for the event which is televised across North America and offers huge amounts of prize money.
鈥淚t鈥檚 like the Super Bowl or World Series of rodeo,鈥� says Lowry. 鈥淭his year, we鈥檒l both be there.鈥�
Despite their optimism, success hasn鈥檛 come easy or without sacrifices for Lowry and Snyder. Snyder of Medicine Hat quit school in Grade 11 while Lowry of Valleyview, Alta. toiled several years as a pro before making any big money.
鈥淚t was either go to school and stay amateur or get my pro card and go to work,鈥� says Snyder, who hasn鈥檛 looked back since.
Both men grew up on ranches around relatives and friends who made the rodeo their lives. It has definitely influenced them.
鈥淔rom the first time I ever saw a rodeo, that鈥檚 all I鈥檝e ever wanted to do,鈥� says Snyder.
Part of making big money on the pro circuit is travelling thousands of miles from rodeo to rodeo. Snyder, Lowry and a collection of other cowboys travel together, often as many as 10 of them squeezing into one van.
They compete in rodeos all the way from Texas to Yorkton, trying to hit the biggest ones and those which offer the most prize money.
Deciding which rodeos to attend isn鈥檛 always easy, as there are more than 700 sanctioned events in North America each year.
Top Canadian rodeos offer up to $1,500 in prize money ($3,500 in 2020 dollars) for bull riding while some of the bigger U.S. competitions feature as much as $4,000 ($9,500 in 2020 dollars) per event.
One of the drawbacks of the rodeo circuit is that it goes virtually year-round. Snyder and Lowry don鈥檛, as a rule, get much of a holiday.
Bull riders risk injury every day as their event is considered by some to be the most dangerous in the rodeo.
Lowry and Snyder don鈥檛 consider it hazardous work, however. When asked if he鈥檚 ever been seriously hurt, Snyder almost forgets to mention that last year he was stepped on by a bull, resulting in two broken limbs and a punctured lung.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e going to get hurt no matter what event you鈥檙e in,鈥� explains Lowry.
So聽 why would anyone want to get up on a mean, ornery bull only to be thrown off eventually?
鈥淚t was the only event I was good at and I enjoyed it more than the rest,鈥� says Lowry.
Bulls used for competition are bred to buck. They are raised to be mean and, in most cases, they don鈥檛 disappoint.
The only way to learn how to ride these animals is to get up on them time and time again. Technique is mastered the hard way.
鈥淵ou鈥檝e got to really want to do it,鈥� says Lowry.
鈥淕enerally, it鈥檚 a younger man鈥檚 sport, for guys between 22 and 30,鈥� says Snyder, eyeing his older partner with a grin.
鈥淭here are some exceptions though,鈥� he quickly adds.
Although both riders hail from Alberta, they speak more like Texans, the drawl coming as part of the trade.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 even notice it,鈥� says Snyder.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 all we鈥檝e been is across the line (border) for the past six months.鈥�
