Wild Pony Racing
Highlights from various 2023 events.
Please visit our Contact Us page to send us a proposal for sponsorship inquiries.
Reading, Give it a Shot! is a literacy program that aims to boost classroom literacy rates by rewarding students for reading. The Edmonton Oil Kings are dedicated to fueling the success and personal development of students in Oil Country. In partnership with local businesses, this program links literacy in a child’s most formative years to the reward of having the opportunity to attend a live hockey game at Rogers Place. Each classroom will receive a starter package in the mail for their classroom which will contain further steps. After each classroom completes their specified reading time, they are put into a draw to win tickets! Winning classrooms will be notified no later than two weeks before their game.
We have sponsored the Wild Pony Racing team since 2022. In 2023, we also are sponsoring the Pick Up Chicks.
The Wild Pony races are a performance event at Rodeos including The Calgary Stampede, The Ponoka Stampede, Big Valley Jamboree and many more. The group of young competitors range in age from 6-12 years old.
These events has been a crowd favorite for over 20 years now, and everyone loves cheering on the future stars of rodeo! The goal is to expand the kid’s experiences, opportunities and introduce them to the community of Alberta Rodeo. The Traditions of Rodeo are deeply rooted in Alberta culture. Having youth learn about this and understand its importance helps foster long-term relationships within our communities.
The Wild Pony event involves 10 teams and 2 “Pickup Chicks”. Each team has 3 competitors ranging in age from 6-12. The wild pony is released from the chutes and the competitors are holding onto a lead attached to the halter on the pony. The Mugger runs up to the head of the pony to attempt to control it; the Rider is in the middle and tries to jump on the back of the wild pony and stay on for 2 bucks; the third is the Anchor which keeps the rope tight, trying to control the chaos going on by keeping the pony stable. They have 15 seconds to complete their ride.
Once all the teams have competed, there are now 10 wild ponies running around the arena. Now is the time for the Pickup Chicks. Two young girls dressed up in cowgirl attire, of the same age bracket head out into the arena to round up the wild ponies and get them back into the corral. The ponies they used are housed, broken and trained all winter by these girls. What a great way to finish off the event! The crowd loves it and thinks it is the cutest thing.
These young athletes commit 40 days of Rodeo and 34 events into their summers.
Team Gushue is currently ranked #1 in the world and is led by internationally known and recognized skip Brad Gushue. Gushue first gained notoriety from winning the 2006 Winter Olympic Gold Medal in Torino, Italy. Team Gushue has since gone on to win the 2017 and 2018 Tim Horton’s Brier and the 2017 Ford World Men’s Curling Championship.
In addition to the Olympic Gold Medal and World Championship, Gushue has won two World Junior Curling Championships and is the winningest skip in Tim Horton’s Brier history. Team Gushue has also won 10 Grand Slam titles and is the only team to have won all Grand Slam events at least once.
Team Gushue is built with talent from across Canada, with members from Newfoundland & Labrador, Alberta, and Prince Edward Island. Team Gushue has proven over the years it can compete and succeed on a national and international level.
Highlights from various 2023 events.