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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1999-08-11, Page 15ikeih • A wiley calf eludes his pursuers during the calf round -up Friday night. 14 ArasetanalowerAdvesite Rodeo ro es in over Wed qday, August 11.1999 ecthtors By Kate Monk TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF EXETER --- Organizers are humbly crediting the community with making the weekend's Exeter Dodge Truck Series Rodeo an out- standing success. "The committee was really, really pleased with the support of the community," committee member Jo -Anne Fields told the T -A Monday morning. She estimates a capacity crowd of more than 5,000 people in total attended the Saturday and Sunday shows. Organizers did not keep track of attendance at the numer- ous free events throughout the weekend. Friday evening's free entertain- ment started with a Buckles, Boots & Spurs performance at the Exeter Old Town Hall. Events at the show ring included an Exeter Saddle Club demonstration, mutton bustin' and calf round -up. Fields said they were. over- whelmed with the participation in the mutton bustin' competition in which children ride sheep bare- back. With a larger number of com- petitors than expected, the sheep became too tired to give the chil- dren a good ride, She said next year, .they will have more sheep on hand. Saturday started with a Western Parade through the downtown. "The community was awesome supporting it," Fields said, with businesses and cowboys taking part. New to this year's rodeo weekend, the OPP Golden Helmets Precision Motorcycle Team were in the parade -and performed at the Rec Centre at 12:30 p.m. The main rodeo took place at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday with a full slate of events: steer wrestling, junior steers, team roping, ladies breakaway, ladies barrels, junior barrels, saddle bronc, bareback rid- ing, calf roping and bull riding. Rain after Saturday's show didn't effect the slack competition (com- petitors not in the 2 p.m. shows competed for points), vendors or the BX 93 Video Dance. Fields said the rain may have helped the dance by bringing in more people including cowboys. . Sunday morning's country style brunch, hosted by the Exeter and Area Firefighters, was another suc- cess. Fields said the businesses were also supportive of the weekend and believed the event brought extra business to Exeter. Service clubs are benefitted from selling refresh- ments in the vendors' area. The Exeter Dodge Truck Series Rodeo is one of the top rodeos in Ontario drawing competitors from eastern North America. It is man- aged by A Bar K Rodeo Productions and co-ordinated locally by a com- mittee of volunteers. The only downside to the weekend occurred when a spectator had a heart attack near the end of Saturday's rodeo. Two paramedics with medical equipment assisted a firefighter from Lambet,who performed CPR, Fields said. The man, who was not from the Exeter area, was taken to the South Huron Hospital and later died while being transported to the London Health Sciences Centre. Fields said while there was not an ambulance at the rodeo site, the paramedics were equipped to deal with medical emergencies. The ambulance took 19 minutes to arrive at the :show ring from the time she placed the phone call, Fields said. Denise Stoddart and her lively horse skillfully navigate the Bar- ret during the ladies' barrel rac- ing. Michael Clarke, son of Exeter's Janet and Matt Clarke hangs on In Saturday's mutton bustin' event. Dalton Finkbeiner works up the show ring during the intermission at Saturday's show. Finkbeiner, a long-time supporter of rodeos in Exeter, was named the show's honourary co-chairman.