2008

Wayne Vold – Contestant Inducted 2008

Wayne Vold

As a son of the legendary Harry Vold, Wayne Vold didn’t take long to begin his own journey into the spotlight and a similar highly regarded place in rodeo’s history books.

 At 13 years, his first title came at the Calgary Stampede in the boys steer-riding event. Two years later he was a Canadian Champion in the novice saddle bronc. At 22 and 23 Vold would earn back-to-back Canadian Saddle Bronc Riding Championships.

Shortly after the Saddle Bronc titles, Wayne launched the Wayne Vold Rodeo Co., which has gone on to win nearly every major stock contracting championship in North America. Vold’s All-star team has included the likes of Try Me, American Express, Hagar, Rambo, Sugar Ray, Awesome, Pedro, True Grit, Mucho Dinero and Cooper’s Comet. Several of these animals are recognized in the Hall of Fame, themselves.

Wayne picked up for 25 years at stops such as the Calgary Stampede, Pendleton Round Up, Ponoka, and 11 times (the record at one time) at the Canadian Finals Rodeo, and twice at the National Finals Rodeo.

The nationally syndicated Wayne Vold Show aired for three years on CTV featuring musical talent from around the world, all during Vold’s illustrious stock contracting career. 

Today, Vold hangs his hat west of High River, AB. Working with nephew and bull man Nansen Vold, Wayne Vold Rodeo provides stock for and produces a number of Canada’s top rodeos from Grande Prairie and Wainwright, AB to Morris, MB and the Ponoka Stampede. Vold can also be found each December at the NFR proudly singing the National anthem on Canadian night.

Wayne is quoted recently as saying “The success of my rodeos is summed up in these simple words: Organization and Team Vold”.

Ellis Lewis – Contestant Inducted - 2008

Ellis Lewis

Born in 1929 in British Columbia, “Ellie” grew up to win the Canadian Saddle Bronc Championship in 1953. Four years later in 1957, he was crowned Canadian Champion Bareback Rider.

He was an all-round cowboy, and he won that title, Canadian All-Around Champion in 1959. Lewis won many bareback and saddle bronc titles on both sides of the border, and in 1960 and 1961 he qualified for the World Championship as well.

Ellis moved to the US in 1962 and retired from rodeo in 1983 at the age of 54. 

Blue Bill – Animal Inducted 2008

Blue Bill

Jerry Meyers got Blue Bill form Bill Gommersall of May Berry, Sask. In the late 1940’s trading a Gene Autry silver mounted saddle for a load of five or six horses. Bill had broke Blue Bill and used him as his saddle horse, but the day Jerry showed up he watched as Blue Bill exploded, and insisted he be part of the load.

Jerry sent the horses down to Harry Knight in the US in the early 1950’s. Blue Bill bucked at many great rodeos in Saskatchewan and the US, with the likes of Dwayne Howard, the Terrier brothers, Dick Nash and Johnny Sinclair trying to stay aboard.

The first Canadian to make a qualified ride on Blue Bill was Winston Bruce. 

Jerry Sinclair - Contestant
Inducted - 2008

Jerry Sinclair

Jerry Sinclair made 1970 a year for the history books in the world of rodeo. That year he was the North American Saddle Bronc Champion at Calgary Stampede, Rookie of the Year, and the Canadian Champion Saddle Bronc rider. No other cowboy has won those awards all in one year! And currently, that record still stands.

He went on to qualify for the CFR in 1974, 1981 and 1982 and the Calgary Stampede in 11 out of 13 years he competed. Sinclair served on the CPRA Board as Saddle Bronc director in 1983 and 1984. Jerry has judged rodeos, worked as a pick-up man, flanked, and hauled stock from BC to PEI. 

After retiring from the rodeo arena, Jerry sat on the Board of the Canadian Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame for many years. Sadly, after a battle with Cancer, Jerry passed away on April 28, 2020.

Lawrence Hutchison – Contestant Inducted - 2008

Lawrence Hutchison

This Cremona, Alberta bull rider was born in 1938.

Lawrence Hutchison is one of the youngest Canadians to win a championship at the age of 17. In 1957 he won the Canadian Bull Riding Championship and won it again in 1962.

He placed in the top ten at the NFR in 1963 and 1966 and was a four time circuit champion in the central and southern Alberta circuits.

In 1963, Hutchinson won $2,500.00 at the Denver Rodeo, one of Lawrence’s highlights in his rodeo career.

Verne Franklin - Builder - Inducted 2008

Verne Franklin

Verne Franklin was born in 1931 at Marwayne Alberta and passed away in 1999 at the age of 68. V

erne competed in rodeo events at the amateur level, entering into the pro rodeo arena as a stock contractor in 1968 at the rodeo in Meadow Lake, Sask. In 1974 he earned his pro card and had 19 head of stock qualify for the first CFR.

His stock earned top stock awards as far back as 1974 with great bareback horses like Transport, Air Wolf, Blue Ridge, and bulls Wilfred and Charles Manson, and an unmatched six awards for Kingsway Skoal. He was awarded the CPRA Bucking Stock of the Year 15 times. 

Dale Johansen - Contestant
Inducted - 2008

Dale Johansen

Dale is from Strathmore, Alberta. In 1977 he was the Alberta High School champion bull rider and turned pro in 1980.

Some of Dale’s career highlights include winning the Calgary Stampede’s bull riding in 1982, qualifying for the NFR In 1983, 1984, 1986 and 1987. He was the back-to-back Canadian Champion Bull Rider in 1983 and 1984.

Retiring in 1988, Johansen has continued to hold bull riding and steer riding schools.