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Bull riders struggled to stay aboard their full eight seconds in the arena, which had been turned to mud by a day of rain.
Photo: Geralyn Wichers
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Riders arrive at the arena for the contest.
Photo: Geralyn Wichers
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Participants are introduced to the crowd prior to the competition.
Photo: Geralyn Wichers
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Bull riders struggled to stay aboard their full eight seconds in the arena, which had been turned to mud by a day of rain.
Photo: Geralyn Wichers
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A rider holds on, hoping to reach eight seconds.
Photo: Geralyn Wichers
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Organizers tried to drain water in front of the chutes before Saturday’s bull riding event.
Photo: Geralyn Wichers
Two things that have been rare all summer returned to Grunthal in August: rodeo and rain.
The small town in southeastern Manitoba usually hosts three rodeos per year — a spring rodeo, a fall rodeo during its Hanover Ag Fair, and a high school rodeo.
All three were cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic. The Bull Riders Canada invitational on August 19 and 20 marked the first rodeo event since 2019.
“We have just been waiting for this, I would say, just about two years… we’re just really excited to be able to bring back all of the riders,” said Tamara Martens, secretary for the Hanover Ag Society.
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The event had a reduced capacity due to COVID-19.
August 20 saw nearly full stands despite a cool, cloudy day. Rodeo fans in rain gear and holding umbrellas braved periodic rain and an outright downpour as night fell.
The cowboys also struggled — the number of eight-second rides could be counted on one (muddy) hand.
Grunthal plans to host a high school rodeo in September.
Meanwhile, Bull Riders Canada has another event scheduled in Eriksdale on October 4.
On August 16, the Heartland Rodeo Association told the Co-operator it had received two applications for rodeo events and may host a third. One of these includes the “Manitoba’s Return to Rodeo Festival” at the Manitoba Stampede and Exhibition grounds in Morris, scheduled for September 18 and 19.
