Latest news with #Ponoka
CTV News
22-07-2025
- Health
- CTV News
Ponoka hospital road closure first step in $15.3-million expansion
A hospital in Ponoka, Alta. has closed a road for construction, marking the start of a projected three-year, $15.3-million expansion and upgrade to the facility. Ponoka Hospital and Care Centre closed off 59 Street at 59 Avenue last week for what a news release said should be two to three weeks as part of an ongoing construction project. While pedestrians and motorists are advised to steer clear of the road, Alberta Health Services (AHS) said it won't disrupt access to the hospital itself. Construction crews are connecting underground water utilities in preparation for an expansion to the hospital's surgical department. Funded by the Alberta government, the hospital is also building an addition onto the northwest corner of the hospital. This will become the home to a 'modernized' medical device reprocessing department. AHS said the project comes at a time when their 'current focus is on reducing emergency department wait times, improving EMS response times, increasing access to surgeries and improving patient flow.' Communications director Brendan Procé told CTV News Edmonton that the work done at Ponoka will give residents 'improved access to surgical services.' Procé confirmed the work should be finished in 2028.
CBC
02-07-2025
- Sport
- CBC
Alberta women buck tradition and blaze their own trail in ranch bronc riding
Sophia Bunney launched the first time she tried ranch bronc riding, landing "quite a ways away from the horse." "I'm very stubborn and I don't like being defeated," said the 18-year-old from Cessford, Alta. In other words, the teenager was hooked on a sport that pits women against bucking horses for eight seconds. "I always kind of wanted to hop on a bronc," Bunney said. "In Grade 3, we did 'what do you want to be when you grow up?' and I said I wanted to be a female bronc rider." Unlike saddle bronc, a rodeo mainstay, ranch bronc uses a regular western saddle — not a specialized one — and riders hang on with two hands instead of one. A hand is on a rein and the other on a strap wrapped around the saddle's horn. Pearl Kersey of Millarville, Alta., who won the Canadian women's ranch bronc title Sunday in Ponoka, Alta., is president of Women's Ranch Bronc Canada and teaches it at clinics. "I've got teenagers, 20-year-olds, 30-year-olds and this year a woman in her 50s. I was like 'you sure?"' Kersey said. "She doesn't want to compete. She wants to try it before she gets too old. "We have bucking machines. She doesn't necessarily need to get on a horse. They can go through all the drills and the bucking machine, and if they're comfortable enough, they can get on a horse." "Women have come up to me and said, 'thank you for doing what you're doing.' They might not go into ranch broncs, but it just gave them the power in themselves to go pursue something that they wanted that they didn't think they could because they were women. "Other girls tell me, 'I saw you ride at Ponoka,' and they're like 'I want to try it.' Sometimes it's a confidence-booster thing. Sometimes they want to see if they'll like it and some are like 'yeah, I'm doing this."' It took a while for 19-year-old Blayne Bedard of Linden, Alta., who grew up cow riding in the Canadian Girls Rodeo Association, to master keeping her feet forward toward the horse's shoulders. "If they come back, I'm like a pendulum and I just go head over teakettle," Bedard explained. "For the longest time, that was my biggest problem with riding ranch bronc and why I kept bucking off was because my feet weren't moving and they'd come behind me and I'd get lawn-darted right away." She's improved to the point where Bedard has competed in the last two Canadian championships. "I like the look of it, too," Bedard said. "You get cool pictures." One of the lessons Bedard picked up at a Kersey clinic had nothing to do with riding form — and everything to do with what goes inside a boot. "I put baby powder in my boots every time before I ride, and I wear my mom's boots that are a size too big for me, because if you get your foot stuck in a stirrup — which I've had a few times — you need your boot to be able to come off so you're not being dragged by the horse," Bedard explained. Women's ranch bronc isn't part of the $2.1-million Calgary Stampede starting Friday, but women's breakaway roping will debut at the 10-day rodeo. Breakaway and barrel racing are the two women's events on a program that also features men's bull riding, saddle bronc, bareback, steer wrestling and tie-down roping. Kersey competed at the Calgary Stampede in 2021, when a "Broncs After Dark" exhibition was a substitute for the evening chuckwagon races, which were scrapped due to COVID-19. "When they cancelled the chucks for COVID, they were trying to make an evening show. They called me wanting ladies ranch broncs, but they wanted 10 days of it and I didn't have enough ladies up here," Kersey recalled. "Since we couldn't get ladies from the States, I said, 'I can get you one woman a day and the rest will be guys.' We did mixed ranch bronc riding for 10 days, so that was awesome." The Ponoka Stampede adding women's ranch bronc to its lineup in 2022 was a big step forward, said Kersey. Inclusion in the Calgary Stampede would be another milestone. "The ultimate is the same with girls in breakaway roping, which is getting into pro rodeos because that's when you get the big money," she said. "We're way bigger with the added money than we were, but it takes time. "With breakaway, you've got thousands of contestants who can do it, but ranch bronc's a different breed. It takes a while to get contestant numbers up." Kersey, 36, has qualified for the world finals July 19-20 in Cheyenne, Wyo., where she won in 2019 and has twice finished second. Kersey intends to retire from competition after this year, but continue teaching. One of her students, Calgary's Emma Eastwood, picked it up quickly thanks to years of riding horses and a stint as an amateur jockey. She attended Kersey's clinics last fall and this spring, and won an event in just her third time competing. "It is difficult to try and think through your ride and hang on through all that adrenaline," said the 27-year-old massage therapist. "Things kind of get a little blurry, and it's hard to process everything going on so quickly. "Having previous riding experience and being able to get that feel for the motion of the horse, how they move and kind of knowing what to expect out of them, and getting practice on the bucking machine makes a world of difference." Rodeo bucking events have traditionally been the domain of men. Kersey, Eastwood and Bedard say the cowboys have been welcoming, though Bunney's experience has been mixed. "I've had some nasty comments," Bunney said. "I've had some guys that have been real nice and tried helping me out or hyping me up."
CTV News
02-07-2025
- Sport
- CTV News
Alberta women buck tradition and blaze their own trail in ranch bronc riding
Emma Eastwood, of Calgary, visualizes her ride before competing in women's ranch bronc during rodeo action in Crossfield, Alta., Saturday, June 14, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh Sophia Bunney launched the first time she tried ranch bronc riding, landing 'quite a ways away from the horse.' 'I'm very stubborn and I don't like being defeated,' said the 18-year-old from Cessford, Alta. In other words, the teenager was hooked on a sport that pits women against bucking horses for eight seconds. 'I always kind of wanted to hop on a bronc,' Bunney said. 'In Grade 3, we did 'what do you want to be when you grow up?' and I said I wanted to be a female bronc rider.' Unlike saddle bronc, a rodeo mainstay, ranch bronc uses a regular western saddle — not a specialized one — and riders hang on with two hands instead of one. A hand is on a rein and the other on a strap wrapped around the saddle's horn. Pearl Kersey of Millarville, Alta., who won the Canadian women's ranch bronc title Sunday in Ponoka, Alta., is president of Women's Ranch Bronc Canada and teaches it at clinics. 'I've got teenagers, 20-year-olds, 30-year-olds and this year a woman in her 50s. I was like 'you sure?'' Kersey said. 'She doesn't want to compete. She wants to try it before she gets too old. 'We have bucking machines. She doesn't necessarily need to get on a horse. They can go through all the drills and the bucking machine, and if they're comfortable enough, they can get on a horse.' 'Women have come up to me and said, 'thank you for doing what you're doing.' They might not go into ranch broncs, but it just gave them the power in themselves to go pursue something that they wanted that they didn't think they could because they were women. 'Other girls tell me, 'I saw you ride at Ponoka,' and they're like 'I want to try it.' Sometimes it's a confidence-booster thing. Sometimes they want to see if they'll like it and some are like 'yeah, I'm doing this.'' It took a while for 19-year-old Blayne Bedard of Linden, Alta., who grew up cow riding in the Canadian Girls Rodeo Association, to master keeping her feet forward toward the horse's shoulders. 'If they come back, I'm like a pendulum and I just go head over teakettle,' Bedard explained. 'For the longest time, that was my biggest problem with riding ranch bronc and why I kept bucking off was because my feet weren't moving and they'd come behind me and I'd get lawn-darted right away.' She's improved to the point where Bedard has competed in the last two Canadian championships. 'I like the look of it, too,' Bedard said. 'You get cool pictures.' One of the lessons Bedard picked up at a Kersey clinic had nothing to do with riding form — and everything to do with what goes inside a boot. 'I put baby powder in my boots every time before I ride, and I wear my mom's boots that are a size too big for me, because if you get your foot stuck in a stirrup -- which I've had a few times -- you need your boot to be able to come off so you're not being dragged by the horse,' Bedard explained. Women's ranch bronc isn't part of the $2.1-million Calgary Stampede starting Friday, but women's breakaway roping will debut at the 10-day rodeo. Breakaway and barrel racing are the two women's events on a program that also features men's bull riding, saddle bronc, bareback, steer wrestling and tie-down roping. Kersey competed at the Calgary Stampede in 2021, when a 'Broncs After Dark' exhibition was a substitute for the evening chuckwagon races, which were scrapped due to COVID-19. 'When they cancelled the chucks for COVID, they were trying to make an evening show. They called me wanting ladies ranch broncs, but they wanted 10 days of it and I didn't have enough ladies up here,' Kersey recalled. 'Since we couldn't get ladies from the States, I said, 'I can get you one woman a day and the rest will be guys.' We did mixed ranch bronc riding for 10 days, so that was awesome.' The Ponoka Stampede adding women's ranch bronc to its lineup in 2022 was a big step forward, said Kersey. Inclusion in the Calgary Stampede would be another milestone. 'The ultimate is the same with girls in breakaway roping, which is getting into pro rodeos because that's when you get the big money,' she said. 'We're way bigger with the added money than we were, but it takes time. 'With breakaway, you've got thousands of contestants who can do it, but ranch bronc's a different breed. It takes a while to get contestant numbers up.' Kersey, 36, has qualified for the world finals July 19-20 in Cheyenne, Wyo., where she won in 2019 and has twice finished second. Kersey intends to retire from competition after this year, but continue teaching. One of her students, Calgary's Emma Eastwood, picked it up quickly thanks to years of riding horses and a stint as an amateur jockey. She attended Kersey's clinics last fall and this spring, and won an event in just her third time competing. 'It is difficult to try and think through your ride and hang on through all that adrenaline,' said the 27-year-old massage therapist. 'Things kind of get a little blurry, and it's hard to process everything going on so quickly. 'Having previous riding experience and being able to get that feel for the motion of the horse, how they move and kind of knowing what to expect out of them, and getting practice on the bucking machine makes a world of difference.' Rodeo bucking events have traditionally been the domain of men. Kersey, Eastwood and Bedard say the cowboys have been welcoming, though Bunney's experience has been mixed. 'I've had some nasty comments,' Bunney said. 'I've had some guys that have been real nice and tried helping me out or hyping me up.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 2, 2025. Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press
CBC
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
What do rodeo fans love about the Ponoka Stampede? The answer may surprise
The 89th Ponoka Stampede is on, and an estimated 100,000 rodeo fans are expected to visit over the week. We asked some of them what keeps them coming back for more.
CBC
25-06-2025
- Business
- CBC
The Ponoka Stampede is big money for this small Alberta town
Social Sharing This isn't Trevor Jones's first rodeo. For 50 years, the family business of Jones Boys Saddlery and Western Wear in Ponoka, Alta., has been custom fitting cowboy hats and boots and outfitting locals and out-of-towners alike. And starting today, things are about to get a lot more busy with the start of the 89th Ponoka Stampede. Running until July 1, an estimated 100,000 rodeo fans are expected to flock to the town's biggest annual event. "It's just like a buzz in the town, everybody is excited to be here," said Jones, who's the fourth generation in his family to sit on the stampede board. "It's been a passion of mine since I was a little kid. I remember working up there, stocking boxes and bringing barrels out." Ponoka, a town of about 7,500 people, is 100 kilometres south of Edmonton. WATCH | Here's what the Ponoka Stampede means to the town: Ponoka Stampede equals big money in this small Alberta town 6 hours ago Duration 2:36 The Ponoka Stampede has more than a $1 million in prize money up for grabs for cowboys and chuckwagon teams. Stampede officials estimate the annual economic impact to the region is in the vicinity of $20 million, so here's what businesses have to say about 100,000 rodeo fans flocking to town. Jones said the stampede is a wild ride with boots, buckles and bandanas flying off the shelves in a week that "practically sets up our whole year." "It's just lineups everywhere. Businesses are busy, all the hotels are booked, I think the whole town does very well with the stampede," said Jones. Those include businesses you might not necessarily associate with rodeos, like Busted Ladies Lingerie. Owner and professional bra fitter, Sherry Gummow, said three quarters of her clients come from outside of her postal code. "We would not survive without our out-of-town customers," said Gummow. She points to a map of Canada in the store covered in red pins from all over the country. "We don't get Duck Lake, Saskatchewan, on a regular day," said Gummow. "People come because of the Ponoka Stampede. It's a family holiday. So we've got grandma and mom and granddaughters and they all come and get fitted." She figures the stampede represents a 40 per cent bump in business and as the president of the chamber of commerce she's had others tell her "the profit that they experience for a year, some of them earn it during the stampede, that's the gravy so to speak." It's not just rodeo fans spending. People come for the trade show, the midway, the country music concerts and the free camping which draws an estimated 4,500 RVs every year. "It's amazing what it's grown into," says Ponoka Stampede board president Rick Wiresba. His family has been involved since 1936 when there was a corral and a few benches, featuring local stock and prize money ranging from 50 cents to a whopping $6 per event. "You go up there and look and you can't imagine that facility being there 90 years ago. It's probably one of the best venues for an outdoor rodeo, quite honestly for an outdoor rodeo. We're pretty proud of it." Stampede officials estimate there is an economic impact of $20 million from the annual event. And that cash is not just going to local companies. Chuckwagon teams vie for $450,000 in prize money and cowboys compete for $579,000. Ponoka Stampede Championship titles come with $75,000 in prize money for riding events like the saddle bronc, and this year there is $90,000 on the line for bull riding, making it the richest pro rodeo in the regular season in Canada. "There's also what I would call soft economics that goes on every year at the rodeo," Ponoka Mayor Kevin Ferguson said. He said more than 800 volunteers from service groups and clubs throughout the region do everything from handing out programs to working the concession stands. "For them, the big part of their seed money for the year, to make those clubs operate, comes out of the Ponoka Stampede," Ferguson said.
