The stage is set, and the cowboys will be rolling through town for this year’s Whoop-Up Days rodeo.
Executive Producer of the rodeo for Lethbridge and District Exhibition, Kynan Vine, says this year’s contestants include some of the top names competing in rodeos across North America. The Kesler Championship Rodeo company will provide the stock for this year’s event.
“We’ve got the obvious ones that are coming – the Zeke Thurston, four-time World Champion who just won his fourth Calgary Stampede Championship, arguably one of the best of all time, and so Zeke will be here, along with Dawson Hay and a few of the other guys who are all taking a run at the National Finals Rodeo in the heat of the battle,” Vine says.
The Lethbridge rodeo takes place on the second last weekend of the 2025 Canadian Pro Rodeo season. Vine adds that, in a sense, Lethbridge has become the playoffs of Pro Rodeo in Canada, with competitors pushing to qualify for the Canadian Finals Rodeo in October. According to Vine, there are a lot of big rodeos going on for competitors to go to and make money, but they choose to attend the Lethbridge rodeo because of the stock and prize money, along with the different supports offered to contestants.
“We do a lot of things here at Lethbridge to support the contestants that they don’t always get everywhere else, and that’s important to us here. For me, I’m proud of the organization here and the community for getting behind the rodeo and Whoop-Up Days,” notes Vine.
“[We see] record crowds every year, and then breaking another record. I think a big factor that, again, goes back to what Lethbridge Exhibition does in the community, but also that we are sparing no expense to bring a great rodeo product.”
Vine says for those who have never been to a rodeo, he believes the Lethbridge one is a great one to start at because not only are there the traditional rodeo events, but there is the kids’ wild pony racing, along with the Warrior Relay Races after the rodeo.
“I think it’s just the excitement and the high energy of this rodeo. It’s under the lights, it’s got this cool energy about it, and I think if you’ve never been to a rodeo, this is probably a good one to start with for sure.”
The Lethbridge and District Pro Rodeo runs nightly from Thursday, August 21st to Saturday, August 23rd at 7 p.m.
