Each summer after the Strathmore Stampede wraps up cowboys and cowgirls fill the rodeo arena for the Ag Society's Rodeo School.
This year the Rodeo School is set for August 14 - 17 with registration opening on April 7 at 9 a.m.
Events coordinator with the Ag Society Kate Dubois expressed the urgency for athletes to secure their spot in one of six clinics that include saddle bronc, bareback, bull riding, bullfighting, barrel racing, and breakaway roping.
"These clinics fill up pretty quickly, it depends on the event, we have more space available than others in certain clinics. Typically the clinics that fill up the fastest have been bull riding, bullfighting, and breakaway roping."
There are age requirements for some of the clinics but Dubois explained that they do vary, "For saddle bronc and bareback clinics you do have to be 16 to 21, bullfighting you can be any age, bull riding is 15 to 18 and then breakaway and barrel racing is for 12 and older."
The Rodeo School is run in partnership between the Ag Society, Scott Schiffner, and Donny and Bruce Johansen with members of the Strathmore Rodeo Committee volunteering to help. This year will also be welcoming back some coaches to work with the athletes.
"Coaching the bull riding clinics would be Scott Schiffner and the Johansen brothers, Saddle Bronc we have Skeeter Thurston and Clay Elliott, and for bareback we have Jake Vold, and for bullfighting, we have Levi Hale with other coaches to be announced soon."
Dubois explained that this is not just a school for athletes that are experienced in rodeo.
"The ultimate goal is to develop the high school-aged athletes with the proper techniques and new skills, but also just to introduce the sport to new people. You can have any experience, you don't have to be an expert in it by any means. We are there to help you and coach you and learn the ropes."
Registration opens on April 7 at strathmorestampede.com.
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