The Little Britches Rodeo is coming up this Friday and Saturday at the High River Ag grounds.
It's a bit of a rite of passage around these parts with the little ones, those that are seven years old and under, with Mutton Bustin'.
They hold onto a sheep for dear life as the sheep tears out of the chute.
Liz Wellwood, secretary for the High River Ag Society, is excited about the courage these little ones have, and they are packed with entries.
"We do. We've got a huge number of entries, which is super-exciting because there's a lot of interest in it for sure, especially on the Mutton Bustin' and Pig Scramble, which are always very popular events. The Pig Scramble and Mutton Bustin' will be starting on Saturday. They'll start at 10 o'clock."
Friday night at 6, all the action gets started with girls 16 and under kicking it off with Barrel Racing.
- Barrel Racing (16 and under)
- Pole Bending (16 and under)
- Goat Tying (16 and under)
- Goat Tail Untying (7 years and under)
- Break Away Roping (16 years and under)
- Team Roping (16 years and under)
Then the fun kicks in on Saturday morning with the Pig Scramble at 10.
- Pig Scramble (10 years and under)
- Mutton Bustin (7 years and under)
- Barrel Racing (16 and under)
- Pole Bending (16 and under)
- Goat Tying (16 and under)
- Goat Tail Untying (7 years and under)
- Break Away Roping (16 years and under)
- Team Roping (16 years and under)
- Wild Pony Race (12 years and under)
- Steer Riding (16 years and under)
- Hobby Horse family-friendly free race for all ages
The rodeo wraps up with a Hobby Horse race, with everyone welcome to have fun.
"Any age, we include parents, grandparents, we include everybody. You can be any age to come and make your hobby horse, and just join in on the fun. It's completely free to enter that event. We're going to have a little craft table so people and young children can come along and make a hobby horse... and they can come and just have a bit of fun." Wellwood laughed.
This year's Queen of the Little Britches Rodeo will also be crowned Friday night.
"We will be saying goodbye to our fantastic outgoing queen, Olivia Knight, and then we are going to be crowning our brand new 2025 High River Little Britches Rodeo Queen. We had a contest last week, and we had four competitors in, and we'll be crowning our brand-new queen on Friday night. Then her first day of office will be on Saturday, so it's a super-exciting time."
Wellwood is excited for all the young competitors, but it's the Wild Pony Race that's closest to her heart.
"The event that I really, really love is the Wild Pony race. It's just so fast and furious. The kids are incredible, they're so brave, and the character on these little ponies is something special. And that's the one on Saturday afternoon."
There will also be food trucks set up outside the indoor riding arena, some vendors set up inside the arena, and it is a licensed event, too.
The entire event is free for spectators.