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A teenager from Fiske, Sask., is making waves in the bull-riding world after capturing the first-ever junior bull riding title at the 2nd Annual Dakota Buttar Invitational PBR Canada event in Kindersley.
Seventeen-year-old Jayce Rieger, a student of Buttar’s, rode his way to the win in front of a hometown crowd last weekend.
“It’s pretty cool riding with all the guys who’ve won Canada a couple times” Rieger said. “Being the hometown guy and all, it’s pretty cool that I was able to come out here and get the win.”
Event manager Pete Gebraad called the moment special, noting the significance of a protégé earning a title at his mentor’s event.
“Well, it certainly was a special moment to see a student of Dakota’s win the junior event,” Gebraad said. “There’s an amazing group of young talent coming up in our sport, and it’s important that we give these kids an opportunity to ride on a big stage. Learning how to cope with the nerves is a big part of their development. Jayce is proving to be one of those kids showing promise. How cool would it be if one day he is in the lineup competing against Dakota, his mentor.”
Rieger has been trained with Buttar, a Professional Bull Riders Canada champion, attending his school and making the switch from two-hand to one-hand riding.
The crowd erupted when Rieger stuck his ride, something he says will stick with him.
“It was definitely pretty special whenever I hit the ground and everyone was screaming for me,” he said. “It was a pretty good time.”
Both Rieger and Buttar hail from west-central Saskatchewan, a region that continues to showcase its talent in bull riding.
Rieger says he’s focused on improving, riding more bulls, and stacking up more wins and experience as he looks ahead to his career in the sport.
