Every job is important when working in a rodeo. Some are even downright dangerous.
Just ask latchman Alex Van Every, the person responsible for letting the animals loose when the bull riders or bronc riders give the nod they’re ready to go.
There is a lot on the line.
“I have these cowboy’s life in my hands. If I’m not paying attention and I let the animal loose, he could get very seriously injured, or if I don’t pay attention to when I am letting the animal loose, I can mess up the animal. It could trip, fall, get its head caught in the fence. If I screw up I could literally cost someone their championship. It’s a pretty serious job to have, but it’s a really, really fun job to have,” grinned Van Every.
As a rider, he has broken both legs, his arm, his wrist twice, his sternum, and his C-5 in his neck twice.
But he keeps coming back.
“It’s fun. I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. I’m an adrenaline junky. I don’t ride anymore so I get my adrenaline fix by letting animals loose. I’m feet away from bulls that are hell-bent on sticking somebody. I think I get more butterflies now working the latch than I when I was riding.”
Matching the cowboys with the animals is all computerized. They put their name in when they enter, and the computer draws the animal. So they never know who they’re going to get until the last minute.
Van Every was in Rutherglen over the weekend working the RAM Rodeo Tour during its stop at Von Doeler’s Ranch.
Ross Millar produces the RAM Rodeo Tour, which makes 17 stops throughout Ontario during the season.
“This is the first time we’ve been this far north. We go to different towns and we use it as a fundraiser for community needs. This event will help the Lymphedema Association and Mattawa minor hockey.”
The rodeo entertained the crowds with a number of competitions including ladies barrel racing, bucking horses, bull riding, pole bending, as well as events for the children.
“It’s a full rodeo and we’re very proud to be up here. There was close to 200 cowboys and cowgirls from all over. We even had five cowboys from Brazil up here that are doing a Canadian tour. We had a cowboy from Illinois that won the bareback riding. So it’s been a really exciting weekend,” said Millar.
Competitors earn prize money and points to get to the RAM championship in New Market in October.
Many competitors travel to two or three different rodeos on any given weekend, often driving through the night.
There is over $300,000 in prize money up for grabs during this season’s RAM tour. A total of $25,000 was handed out over the weekend.
Hometown girl Elana Von Doeler earned herself a little bit of that prize money, competing at the RAM Rodeo held on her family farm.
“Every weekend I follow two different rodeo circuits, RAM is one of them, the International Pro Rodeo Association is the other. I’m usually gone on the road all weekend starting Friday, hitting different rodeos along the way,” said Von Doeler.
The season ends with a show in November at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, then she’s off to the United States, usually stopping in Texas for three or four months to rodeo there.
“I started doing local shows when I was young. I got my first horse when I was six, then I started when I was 12 or 13 doing this for fun, and I was hooked. I high school rodeoed and did pretty good in that. My mare is pretty seasoned and solid and I’ve got a bunch of young ones.”
Becoming a pro takes time and patience.
“I’ve got three young horses, so to actually rodeo professionally, you would usually need three to four horses because it’s so hard on them. So right now I’m just waiting, letting the babies get trained and grow-up and get them seasoned. It will take probably four years by the time they’re grown up and ready to all go rodeo together. Until then I’ll do our Canadian circuit.”
Von Doeler also teaches.
It was a proud moment for her when one of her students ran for the first time in the rodeo over the weekend.
The rodeo also came complete with a rodeo queen. Candice Boissonneault proudly wore her sash, riding on the back of a pickup truck waving to an enthusiastic crowd who cheered her on during the opening ceremonies.
“I love it. I love riding. I love watching them ride the bull,” said Boissonneault.
The RAM ‘Build-a-Cowboy’ training program is designed to teach the younger generation the skills needed to develop future competitors.
“We’re teaching kids to ride bucking horses and bulls and barrel race. We do it every spring, and it’s growing a little bit every year. It’s just healthy,” said Millar.
Millar was asked if the rodeo is considering a return engagement.
“Absolutely. There were so many first-time rodeo people here which was fun. It was nice and rewarding as we walked out, hearing the amount of people who said they enjoyed themselves. It was tremendous.”
