Photo from the Rio Grande Rodeo Facebook page

By Curtis Galbraith

Community

Rio Grande Rodeo organizers still hope to host something this year

May 25, 2020 | 5:30 AM

Organizers of this year’s Rio Grande Rodeo still hope to have some sort of event this year, even though the regular rode that was to start Canada Day has been postponed.

Treasurer and board member Brian Grant says they want to have something in 2020 when Rio would have hosted the 104th rodeo edition this year.

“We’re looking at options that may come to us. We’ve changed up the format and put a plan together for more of a jackpot-type of event if Alberta Health Services and the province changes the restrictions that are currently in place.”

Grant says the jackpots could include a number of events.

He adds still want to put on something for the community when and if they can.

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“We’ve even had discussions about perhaps having a small series, but it would be a private function with no spectators just for the competitors to get together and have a place to at least throw a hoop and run a race. We’re looking at a number of options. We’re becoming increasingly concerned that there just may not be a possibility of anything this summer.”

Grant says as far as he knows, this is the first postponement in the event’s history.

“We’ve had river floods in the river valley right into our grounds as late as the second week of June and we’re still able to get in heavy equipment and move everything back to have it. COVID is proving to be the biggest concern for seeing any type of hiccup in our history.”

Grant says it was a tough decision to postpone as the community is “looking for something to celebrate,” but adds organizers realize that people’s health and safety come first.