2000
Jack Daines - Builder
Inducted - September 16, 2000
Jack Daines
Jack's introduction to rodeo was listening to tales of bronc rider Jack Wade's adventures throughout the U.S. He was attracted to the colourful lifestyle, and at the age of 12, Jack braided his own rope and hitch-hiked to Olds to enter the rodeo. Some cowboys helped Jack get his "dad's" signature of consent and he entered the boys steer riding. They also showed him how to hold onto the rope, and Jack still has the trophy he won that day in 1949.
Jack's father was a horse trader as well as an auctioneer, so Jack got plenty of practice riding green horses, and by 1953 had progressed to saddle bronc and bull riding events. In 1956 and 1957 he won the Canadian novice bronc riding title.
Although Jack started auctioneering at the Innisfail Auction Market in 1959, and became very busy in the business, his love of rodeo prevailed. With the retirement of announcer Archie Macdonald, Jack decided to try his hand at the mic, and for a time, Jack both announced and competed at several rodeos. Demands of announcing and managing the auction market became heavy, and Jack retired from active rodeo competition in the early 1970s.
Jack's plans for rodeo grounds, on some ranch land owned by the family, north of Innisfail began in 1961. This became the site of the Little Britches Rodeo which ran for 25 consecutive years, and later became home of Innisfail’s first professional rodeo which is still held each year in June. Jack also helped organize the first Silver Buckle Rodeo in Red Deer, and introduced sheep riding as a feature event for future cowboys and cowgirls. The Daines Ranch Rodeo, Jack and his family have now produced for four decades was voted by contestants to be the best of the larger professional rodeos in Canada each year from the award's inception in 1996.
Serving on the board of the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association for four years, Jack was also instrumental in the development of the Alberta Professional Championship Rodeo Circuit. He continues to spend endless hours on behalf of rodeo as an advisor, promoter, announcer and producer. His efforts have previously been recognized when he was presented the Jimmy Brown Memorial Award in 1978, and Committee Man of the Year honors in 1990.
Sadly Jack Daines passed away in December, 2021.
Tom Bews - Contestant
Inducted - September 16, 2000
Tom Bews
Raised on a ranch west of Longview, AB, Tom was born into the cattle industry and it was a natural path for him to follow into the world of rodeo. His initial taste of competition was the first Little Britches Rodeo held in Canada at High River in 1959. Tom won the Bareback riding and also entered the Calf Roping, Cow Riding and Wild Colt scramble. The following year, at his second Little Britches Rodeo, in Didsbury, he added the Saddle Bronc riding to his list of events, and won it.
In 1962, when Tom was 17, he made the move up to the professional ranks and took out his permit in both the Canadian and U.S. associations, competing mainly in Saddle Bronc, Calf Roping and Steer Wrestling. By 1964, Tom’s name appeared in the professional standings in fifth place in Saddle Bronc and fourth in the All-Around in Canada. He was the World Saddle Bronc Rookie of the Year in the Rodeo Cowboys Association as well.
Over the next 20 years, Tom won five Canadian All-Around Championships (1966, ‘71, ‘72, ‘76 and ‘79) and was in the top four 13 times. He was among the top five 12 times in Saddle Bronc, and captured the year end title in the Saddle Bronc riding and Steer Wrestling, as well as the All-Around in 1971. At the 1967 Calgary Stampede, Tom won both the North American and Canadian All-Around championships. He traveled to Oklahoma City, to the National Finals Rodeo in the Saddle Bronc event, in 1967 and ‘68. In 1974, Tom received the Guy Weadick Award at the Calgary Stampede, and was presented the Cowboy of the Year Award by his rodeo peers in 1978.
Tom married Rosemarie, daughter of Herman Linder, and together they raised four boys on the ranch Tom’s grandfather started in 1906. Tom has been a member of the Canadian Rodeo Historical Association since 1986 and served as the first chairman on the board of directors for the Western Heritage Centre.
His retirement from rodeo competition came in 1984 at the age of 40. Tom made his final saddle bronc ride at the Canadian Finals Rodeo, and graciously tipped his hat to the crowd and Rex Logan’s tough bronc, Try Me, after she threw him off.
Jim Gladstone - Contestant
Inducted - September 16, 2000
Jim Gladstone
When Jim won the 1977 World Calf Roping title, he became the first cowboy from north of the American border to take the world title in any of the timed events, and the eighth Canadian to latch on to a World championship. He continues to be the only Canadian to win a World Calf Roping title. Jim won the average payoff at the National Finals Rodeo too, pocketing $7,166 with his go-round and average placings, plus another $5,000 in bonus money.
The 35-year-old father of five roped ten calves in 119.7 seconds, setting a new NFR record, beating the previous mark by almost five and a half seconds. He did it all under the handicap of a broken finger. He wound up in 14th position with $18,381, and left the NFR on the shoulder of his countrymen, waving the maple leaf flag.
His dad, Fred, was a roping fanatic and two-time Canadian Calf Roping Champion. He is the one who taught Jim how to toss a rope. The Gladstones ran several hundred head of cattle on their ranch near Cardston, which was also equipped with an indoor roping arena. But, unlike many roping champions, Jim spent a lot of time on other sports as well, including basketball and hockey.
He began competing in high school rodeos in 1954, and earned his professional card in 1962. Starting out in Calf Roping and the occasional Wild Cow Milking, but by 1963 Jim was competing and picking up cheques in Steer Wrestling as well. He has been credited with championships in both events in the All-Indian circuit.
Jim was among the top three in the nation’s professional rankings every year from 1962 through 1966, before capturing his first Canadian Calf Roping title in 1969. He went on to win two more Canadian Championships in 1971 and 1973, and was runner-up to the title in 1952, ‘75 and ’76. Jim qualified for the Canadian Finals Rodeo seven times, from the first one held in 1974 through to 1980, and competed at four National Finals Rodeos: 1972, ‘73, ‘77 and’78.
Jim also served on the CRCA board as Calf Roping director in 1979. Jim Gladstone passed away at home on the Blood Reserve on Saturday, May 16, 2015 at the age of 72 years.
Sarcee Sorrel - Animal
Inducted - September 16, 2000
Sarcee Sorrel
When Doug VoId first tested the bucking abilities of Sarcee Sorrel in 1967, he was a scrawny, little three-year-old belonging to Rupert Crowchild from the Sarcee Reservation west of Calgary. The young horse didn't perform well at all, but VoId felt he saw potential in the bald-faced, sorrel gelding and took him home. Within a short time, Sarcee Sorrel became one of the best broncs in Wayne VoId's rodeo outfit.
In 1972, Sarcee Sorrel was voted saddle bronc of the year after catapulting some of the best cowboys in the business to the infield dirt throughout the season. The 1,100 pound horse bucked off at least 20 competitors and was ridden only four times all year. Bob Brown stayed aboard at Stavely, AB., and Marvin Joyce lasted until the horn at Pendleton.
Sarcee Sorrel was selected by the top bronc riders in Canada and the U.S. as bronc-of-the year for the World in 1976. The following year he was given the prestigious award once again in Canada.
In 1983, when he was 19 years old, the cowboys named Sarcee Sorrel the best bronc in Canada a third time, 11 years after winning his first award. “I think this was the best year he's ever had," said Wayne VoId at the time. "He was at the right place at the right time and was a bit of an opportunist."
In 20 trips out of the chutes that year, Sarcee Sorrel bucked off 13 cowboys and was ridden seven times. Four of the seven who made the whistle, placed in the money. That season was one of his best: in Cloverdale he packed Clink Johnson to an 84 point ride, for first place money, during the final round at the Ponoka Stampede, he threw off defending Canadian champion Mel Hyland, in Okotoks, Duane Daines was unable to weather eight seconds, David Bothum hit the dirt at Red Deer, and Clayton Hines failed to cover the spirited gelding in Edmonton that fall.
Selected to perform at the National Finals Rodeo eight times. Sarcee Sorrel was at the Canadian Finals Rodeo 11 times before he died at the age of 20. He was buried on Harry VoId's ranch in Fowler, Colorado.
Lorne Wells - Contestant
Inducted - September 16, 2000
Lorne Wells
An article in the November 1, 1971 Canadian Rodeo News read: “For two weekends in a row, pickup man Lorne Wells of Midnapore got a chance to show his prowess at capturing runaway bulls. A week earlier Lorne had to go after Stubby in downtown Viking, and at Vermillion it was the big spotted bull, Speckled Bird, that took off. Lorne has the advantage of daylight this time, and quickly had things under control, but he needed the help of Dick McPeak to get the big fellow back into the confines of the Vermillion Stadium. "All in a days work", grinned Lorne after it was all over.”
Although very talented with handling livestock as a pickup man, Lorne is best known for his Calf Roping skills. Growing up on a ranch near Manyberries, AB, he had every opportunity to learn to rope and ride. Lorne's father, Joe Wells, was a rodeo hand and was instrumental in getting him into the sport. His first appearance at a professional rodeo was at Taber in 1959, and Lorne won the Calf Roping to earn around $500.
By 1962, Lorne had won his first Canadian Calf Roping Championship. He went on to tie Floyd Peters' record of three consecutive titles in Calf Roping with follow-up championships in 1963 and '64. He continues to hold the Canadian record for most titles won in Calf Roping, a total of eight, with continued championship wins in 1967, ‘68, '70, '74 and '77. Lorne also served as pickup man when he won the Calf Roping at the first Canadian Finals Rodeo in 1974.
More of a home-body than a traveling man, Lorne rarely traveled south to the U.S., and didn't rodeo year round, or as a full time career. Wen he entered he did so seriously and effectively. Many experts agreed that had Lorne competed a little more, he could have been a world champion.
Lorne also competed in Steer Wrestling and Wild Cow Milking. Currently he enjoys Team Roping. In 1998, Lorne was thrilled to win his first Team Roping trophy saddle, one of many the big man of few words, with a giant-sized heart, has won over his illustrious rodeo career.