7-21 Pages for Bryan

y the
numbers
The amount of
money that was
up for grabs for
cowboys during
the 2017 Cowboy
Christmas run,
which consisted
of 29 rodeos. The
top-paying rodeo
was the Ponoka
Stampede, which
had a $450,962
payout.
The number of
seconds it took team
ropers Tee Woolman
and Bobby Harris to
stop the clock at the
Spanish Fork (Utah)
Fiesta Days Rodeo
in 1986, making it
the oldest record at
the rodeo. That run
was unmatched until
2015, when both
Clay Smith and Paul
Eaves, and Doyle
Hoskins and Wyatt
Cox, made 3.7-
second runs.
The number of years
bareback rider Joe
Alexander’s 93-point
ride has stood as the
arena record at the
Cheyenne (Wyo.)
Frontier Days, which
is the oldest on the
books. Alexander,
a five-time world
champion who was
inducted into the
ProRodeo Hall of
Fame in 1979, made
his 93-point ride in
Cheyenne in 1974.
the Short
ROUND
Special Tribute
Patches, bench
commemorate
Harry Vold at
Ponoka Stampede
The Ponoka (Alberta)
Stampede paid tribute to rodeo
legend Harry Vold with patches
for all 96 participants in the final
round. The Vold family also had a
bench made to commemorate the
“Duke of the Chutes” and a video
of Vold speaking was played for
the crowd at the highest-paying
rodeo of Cowboy Christmas.
Vold passed away March 13
at 93 years old, after a lifetime of
ProRodeo success that led to his
induction into the ProRodeo Hall
of Fame in 1994 and then being
named a Legend of ProRodeo in
2009.
“It’s Harry’s hometown; he got
Jeremy Wolmbold photo
Harry Vold’s son, Wayne Vold, removed his hat during the ceremony honoring his father
during the Ponoka Stampede.
his start here, and he was a longtime supporter and member of the Stampede,” said Blair Vold, president of the
Ponoka Stampede, and Harry Vold’s nephew.
While operating the Harry Vold Rodeo Company, the late family patriarch was chosen PRCA Stock
Contractor of the Year 11 times (1982, 1987-96), which is tied for the most selections with Stace Smith
ProRodeos. He is also one of only two stock contractors to provide animals for every National Finals Rodeo,
which has been held annually since 1959.
The 96 contestants who qualified for the final round had Vold’s signature brand, the Bar HV, underneath
their number. The bench was made by Bruce Harbin Welding in Ponoka and will be placed outside of the
Ponoka Stampede’s rodeo office.
“It was a commemorative patch,” Blair Vold said. “It was a Harry Vold day and it was very good.”
Vold’s son, Wayne Vold, sang “O Canada,” and the announcer gave a dedication to Vold that included a
short video of him.
“We also had a brief video of Harry talking about what would happen when the doors closed and the game
was over,” Blair Vold said.
“I think it’s really neat, and I know he’d be pleased – he loved this kind of thing,” Kirsten Vold said. “It’s a
great honor for my dad and it’s very fitting, I think. I thought it was a nice tribute and a really nice thing for them
to do.”
Contestants also had a picture of Vold riding a horse for them to wear on the front of their shirts.
“The contestants were honored,” Blair Vold said. “It was a special day since it will never happen again.”
20 ProRodeo.com
ProRodeo Sports News 7/21/2017