Lacombe Pro Bull Riding made its debut in the community in 2019 and is now returning after a hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, Lacombe Pro Bull Riding has teamed up with the Lacombe and District Agricultural Society to put on the event at the Agriculture Grounds.  

“They (Ag Society) are offering a lot of volunteers and help planning the event and a place that we can plan on being every year. We can build on it year by year, hopefully, and maybe make it bigger and better. Who knows, maybe someday we could turn it into a full rodeo,” said Lacombe Bull Riding Committee President, Colleen Shippelt.  

The Pro Bull Riding (PBR) sanctioned event was previously held at the Gary Moe Autogroup Sportsplex in 2019. However, hosting the event outdoors has provided some new challenges for the committee to overcome before the big day.  

“It was a good event in the arena. There's challenges when you go inside, you have to deal with bringing dirt in, cleaning up all that dirt, and bringing the animals indoors. The things that we aren't having to deal with outdoors, we're having to deal with other stuff like providing bathrooms and lighting and things like that,” explained Shippelt.  

In 2019, Lacombe Pro Bull Riding fundraised a total of $7,000 for the Lacombe Ringette Association. This year’s proceeds will be going towards the Ag Society’s scholarships and maintenance of their buildings.  

Shippelt originally intended to have a new charity each year but the partnership with Ag Society might change things slightly.  

“Our plan in the beginning was to try and find a new organization that would help us each year. I'm not sure what the next few years holds. We're hoping to make this a lifelong commitment with the Ag Society,” she added.  

There will still also be 50/50 in support of Lacombe’s Team Jigger. She says the 50/50 might be the way Lacombe Pro Bull Riding will be able to support other non-profits in the City in the future. 

Lacombe’s Pro Bull Riding event will be on July 30th and will feature a cabaret with a live band to close out the night. Gates open at 5PM and the bulls are set to buck at 7PM with a cabaret to follow. Tickets are available at the gate and online.