Linda Lou Howarth
Special to the Tribune/Advisor
2019 was 12 year old, Grade 7 Brandon Loring’s first year of competing in the BC High School Rodeo Association as a chute dogger.
Brandon has been chute dogging for two years and attended the Mike Gill Chute Dogging School in Merritt for the first time back in April 2018 and again in April 2019.
At the school Cole Scott and Mike Gill taught him about chute dogging. Cole is a very good teacher and Brandon picked up really great tips from him and loved the event.
Brandon competed in the Little Britches Association in 2018 in the chute dogging event and ended the year in the top 10. He is sitting in the top five so far this year with three rodeos left.
After attending three of the high school rodeos, where he placed first on Saturday and second on Sunday in Falkland on April 27-28, plus eighth Saturday and fifth Sunday in Williams Lake May 3-4, not slowing down, his dogging earned him a third place on Saturday and second Sunday in Merritt May 11-12.
READ MORE: Loring, Roberts ready to ride into Canadian High School Rodeo Finals
Brandon qualified for the BC High School Rodeo Finals in Barriere with fourth place Saturday, and again fourth place Sunday and sixth place on Monday, which qualified him to compete in the Canadian Finals in Merrit and also the National High School Finals in South Dakota. (Thank you to sponsor Oasis Cafe, McLeese Lake, B.C.)
This happened so fast that Brandon’s chute dogging skills were so great, his parents were not prepared to go to South Dakota, where he could have competed nationally!
Brandon competed at the Canadian High School Rodeo Finals in Merritt July 27-28 where around 500 high school students vied for various competition titles. Brandon was one of the youngest students to compete in the chute dogging event, however, is quite tall for his age.
After tough luck on Friday when his steer got away on him he rebounded Saturday, tying for second/third with a time of 5.2 seconds which qualified him for the short go Sunday where the top 10 chute doggers competed.
There were 25 chute doggers and Brandon got in the top 10.
The short go didn’t go as planned and Brandon’s steer got away from him, however, not after quite a tussle between them. Brandon walked away from the weekend one of the top 10 chute doggers in Canada, plus his heart and try got a lot of attention from he audience.
Brandon said he’d like to thank his sponsors the Tl’etinqox Government (Anaham Band), Duncan First Nation, Riske Creek Recommission, Oasis Cafe, McLeese Lake and Evan and Linda Lou Howarth for sponsoring him in his High School Rodeo Canadian Finals debut.
A huge shout out to Cole Scott for encouraging Brandon through e-mail and giving him tips on his runs.
Brandon is so thankful to everyone that helped him get to where he is at and looks forward to cementing in the 2020 High School Rodeo Season as well and the BC Little Britches Association.
sports@wltribune.comLike us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter
