Submitted by:
Lion Corey Hurren |

Despite rumours of wanted outlaw “Bad Bart” coming there to cause trouble, well over four hundred people took their chances and came to the Bowsman Curling Rink to enjoy the Old Western Family BBQ on Saturday, October 5, 2013.
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The Wild West Show was only part of the 12 hours of entertainment put on by the Bowsman and District Lions Club as part of their celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Bowsman Bull-A-Rama. Their annual fundraising rodeo event had a change in the Canadian Cowboy Association circuit calendar and was held for the first time on a Saturday instead of Friday night.

This gave the Bowsman Lions a chance to provide more fun and entertainment with the addition of a third event this year, the Old Western Family Steak BBQ and Saloon. With fun for the whole family being the focus of the day, the Lions had local actors dressed up in Western costumes greet and interact with the crowd.

Then towards the end of the BBQ, the actors had a “shoot out” inside the Bowsman Curling Rink complete with an undertaker and coffin for the deceased.

Wagon rides were also available and music was provided by the Ken Thompson Band.

An eager crowd then filled the Bowsman Arena for the main event, the 10th anniversary of the Bowsman Bull-A-Rama Rough Stock Rodeo. MC Emery Erickson who was also celebrating his 30th year as rodeo announcer filled the ring with flames and fireworks to start the show.

A special presentation on the big screen was also given on Lion Albert Outhwaite’s rodeo history and him joining the Bowsman Lions to start and serve as Chair of the Bowsman Bull-A-Rama Committee all these years.


This year was also the 50th anniversary of the Canadian Cowboy Association and the 10th anniversary of livestock provider Prime Time Rodeos. In honour of all these special anniversaries, the Bowsman Lions were able to provide the spectators with a “special version” of the RCMP Musical Ride.

Then it was time for what everyone came to see, the three exciting Rough Stock Rodeo events of Saddle Bronc, Bareback, and Bullriding with riders from as far away as Alberta trying get their points up during the last week of the season to get into the CCA Finals Rodeo.

Unofficial winners of the events are:
Saddle Bronc – Wyatt Thurston from Big Valley, AB with 74 points
Bareback – Colter Harden from Big Valley, AB with 82 points
Bullriding – Jesse Lawrence from Kennedy, SK with 83 points

New entertainment this year during Bull-A-Rama was the Wild Horse Race, where the teams had to catch a horse and ride it, and the Fantastic Four Trick Riders, one of whom was only four years old.

50/50 Draw winners were:

$1250 – Melody Tamblyn from Lampman, SK

$750 – Caitlynd and Tyler Sutherland from Swan River, MB

$500 – Rose Sas from Benito, MB

After the Bull-A-Rama event was over, an All Ages Dance was held back at the Bowsman Curling Rink. Music was provided again by the Ken Thompson Band and later on headliners “Sonny and the Hurricanes” to finish off the night.

The Bowsman Lions would like to thank everyone who came out to the events, the sponsors, and everyone else who helped us out with our 2013 Bowsman Bull-A-Rama whose proceeds go towards the purchase of the Swan Valley Cataract Equipment.

Pictures courtesy of Corey Hurren and ValleyBiz.ca