After 35 years of volunteering at the Stampede a Foothills barrel racer got her shot to enter the ring at the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.
“It was probably everything I’ve dreamed of because I’ve been so involved with Stampede and it was different to be on the other side,” said Millarville’s Toni Dixon. “Rather than just being a part of it, I was in it and that part was really the biggest sensation, the biggest thing for me.
“I’ve walked into the infield many times, been all over the park many times and to actually be a contestant really was a wonderful feeling.”
Just three days into her Stampede debut, the 62-year-old Dixon and Mr. Fab collected a share of the first place winnings with a time of 17.59 amid muddy conditions on July 11.
“It was a great day,” Dixon said. “My horse worked amazingly, he liked the mud. I’ve only ever ridden him once in the mud before so I wasn’t sure. I thought you have to go for it.
“It was heavy and he worked amazing, he worked like it was perfect dry grab.”
On day one of the rodeo, Dixon had a run of 18.2 seconds, on day two she was fourth with a 17.93 seconds performance and on day four had a run 18.26 seconds.
Oklahoma’s Wenda Johnson won three of the four performances to qualify first out of the group followed by Hudson Bay, Saskatchewan’s Bertina Olafson in second with Lacombe’s Justine Elliott and Brooks’ Lynette Brodoway tied for third.
Dixon finished just $500 back of the top-four and an automatic entry in the championship round.
Instead, the longtime Stampede volunteer will have to go through the Wild Card round.
“I needed to win some money and I think my horse was a bit tired (Monday), he didn’t have his afterburners on,” she said. “We’ve got to go for it on Wild Card Saturday.
“With him we haven’t been going to a lot of rodeos because there haven’t been rodeos and it’s a matter of getting them back into that rodeo scene again where they’re used to that travelling and competing. And I think with the heat he was just a bit tired (Monday).”
Pool B, featuring Millarville’s Jenna O’Reilly in barrel racing and former Okotokian Jordan Hansen in bull riding, runs from July 13-16.
Wild Card Saturday featuring all competitors who did not advance through the initial pool draw is July 17.
Championship Sunday is July 18 at 1:30 p.m. with competitors vying for the Stampede buckle and $250,000 paycheque in all six events.
For more information go to cs.calgarystampede.com/events/rodeo
