Summer in Cochrane won’t be quite the same with a long-standing tradition stepping out of the ring.
After 24 years, Jason Borton has pulled the plug on the Cochrane Classic Bullriding event, which traditionally packed the grounds of the Cochrane and District Ag Society in late July.
The event's founder says the rising cost of putting on the show and mounting time constraints made it impossible to continue.
“It’s a lot of work to do this, and with just me doing it and trying to keep a job and stuff like that, it’s just getting to be too much,” said Borton. “It was becoming a chore instead of something fun to do.
"I’m five years from retirement, and if I have one rainstorm, it puts me in the hole for $50,000, so I’ve got to be thinking about my future as well. These kinds of decisions are always hard, but I think I’m making the right one for my family.”
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Over the years, the Classic became a showcase for rising bullriding talent, drawing competitors from around the world and thrilling local fans. Each year, 30 top-ranked bullriders were selected to test their skills against some of the rankest bulls around.
“We’ve had bullriders from Brazil, Australia, the United States and all over Canada,” he said. "Some of the riders who came through went on to become Canadian and PBR Canada champions. I got to see some incredibly talented bullriders come through Cochrane.”
Borton says one of the most rewarding parts of organizing the event was the incredible people he met and the relationships he built with sponsors.
His love for rodeo eventually led to him becoming a bullrider. That’s when the idea of the Cochrane Classic was born. It began as an amateur event at the Cochrane Arena and moved through several venues, including the SLS Centre and the Cochrane Lions Rodeo Grounds, before finding a permanent home at the Ag Grounds. The crowds grew along with the size of the production.
Over the years, the event was affiliated with organizations such as the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association and Bull Riders Canada.