Kennedy hosting 93rd Annual Pro Rodeo July 18-19
Community of 200 hosts provincial pro rodeo for competitors from all over North America
May 4, 2026, 2:47 pm
Ashley Bochek
The Moose Mountain Pro Rodeo in Kennedy hosts competitors from all over each year in July. It has become the only fully sanctioned rodeo in Saskatchewan after 93 years, and the community plans to continue hosting the world-stage event.
President of the Moose Mountain Pro Rodeo Association, Jill Lowe, says the rodeo offers a variety of events allowing competitors to perform in rough stock and timed categories.
“This year is our 93rd year of the Moose Mountain Pro Rodeo. We are the weekend after the Calgary Stampede, so a lot of our contestants come from there on the circuit,” says Lowe. “They go from rodeo to rodeo and earn money, points, and then at the end of the season, the ones that have the most earned points and money go onto the Canadian Rodeo Finals in Edmonton in October. We’re part of the Maple Leaf circuit, so that is select rodeos, and Maple Leaf Rodeo Finals are in Regina at Agribition in November.”
Lowe explains the community welcomes rodeo fans and competitors from all over the area.
“There are competitors worldwide. Not only Canada, but from the States, New Mexico, and Australia. We get crowds from all over Saskatchewan and the people who follow the circuit. We see people from Alberta and Manitoba, all over Canada. It is a big event. We are the only fully sanctioned rodeo in Saskatchewan left. So that means we have all of the events. There is a rodeo in Weyburn, but it is just saddle bronc. We have bareback, saddle bronc, bull riding—those are the rough stock events. Then there is tie-down roping, team roping, steer wrestling, ladies breakaway, ladies barrel racing, and then we have the junior events which is junior steer riding and novice saddle bronc and novice bareback.”
Lowe says her connection to rodeo is through her great-grandfather, one of the founders of the Moose Mountain Pro Rodeo.
“I am the president. Our committee looks after the planning of the rodeo. I have been on the committee for 25 years. I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t love it. I just love the community, I love volunteering, I am a strong believer that communities don’t run with one or two people, it takes a whole village to run a community and everyone needs to take their part in volunteering, and this is what I chose to do as my volunteer work. My great-grandfather was also one of the very first founding members of the Moose Mountain Pro Rodeo, 93 years ago.”
History of rodeo
Lowe explains the rodeo originated outside of Kennedy 93 years ago by a community leader.
“It started way back in 1932. It was a reverend in town that got the people together and brought forward an old-fashioned picnic where you have horse events and people together, and that is how it all started. We’ve been hosting it every summer since with of course changes and on a greater scale than back then. It was actually started on Shackleton Flats which is just south of Kennedy, then during the war years it moved into Kennedy.”
Event details
Lowe explains this year’s Pro Rodeo with some details the committee is still planning.
“It is similar to last year. The slack will be Friday morning or Saturday morning. That is still in the works. That is when there are too many contestants and they compete in slack because we only take 10 performers per event. Usually there are more people who enter, so they compete in that first.
“The rodeo’s first performance will be Saturday night at 6 pm, the parade will be at 3 pm, and Sunday the performance will be at 2 pm. Sunday is the pancake breakfast at the Friendship Centre and the cowboy church service at the rodeo grounds and then the rodeo itself. There will be beer gardens and a DJ on the Saturday night. There will be food trucks and the food booth will be open. There is still lots of planning to be finalized.”
Rodeo Queen this year
Lowe says the pro rodeo hasn’t had a rodeo queen for many years and decided this year to offer the title to a young girl in the rodeo world.
“This year we have a Moose Mountain Rodeo Queen. Her name is Grace Pain from Langham near Saskatoon area. She is 19 years old. She was one of the competitors at the Agribition Queen contest. I reached out to her after that to see if she wanted to be our queen and she accepted. She’ll be competing for Miss Rodeo Canada at the Canadian Finals in Edmonton. We haven’t had a queen for years, so I reached out to Grace, and we are so happy she accepted.”
She adds, “They are real good ambassadors for the sport of rodeo. It is a different avenue for getting the heritage out there of what the rodeo means, what it entails, their horsemanship, public speaking. It is the whole package.”
Gathering hub
Lowe says the committee plans to continue hosting the event as the community enjoys seeing family and friends come together every July weekend for the rodeo.
“It is really something to say that we as a village of 200 people can pull off such a professional event,” she says. “Kennedy has about 200 people and there are about 1,500 people on rodeo weekend out at the rodeo grounds. It is pretty impressive, I think. If we can keep doing it, we are going to. It is important for and to this area.
“I enjoy having everyone here. It’s a chance to visit, make friendships with people along the way, it is a chance for reunions and people to gather. It is a chance for people originally from Kennedy to come back home through the summer and visit family and friends. Plus, it is a fun event for everyone.”
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