Canadian saddle bronc rider Zeke Thurston is a 2X World Champion, winning the titles in 2016 and 2019. He’s also a Calgary Stampede champion and a Ponoka Stampede Champion, so the recent cancellations of the two major Canadian summer rodeos were especially disappointing for Thurston.
“Those are kind of the hometown big rodeos that are close to home and that you get to go to —and family comes and watches and, you know, you kind of a local celebrity sometimes,” says Thurston. “I’m going to miss them for sure. ... It’s a shame, but they’ll come back stronger next year I’m sure.”
In addition to talking about what those two rodeos mean to him, Thurston, who’s really become the face on Canadian rodeo, also looks back at some of the best rides of his career made at Calgary, Ponoka, and, of course, in Las Vegas.
