Updated story Saturday, March 14:
Due to concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic, the fifth annual Matt O’Flynn Roughstock School has been postponed.
The Quesnel Rodeo Club announced Friday, March 13 that the school will be postponed to a date yet to be determined.
Original story:
The Quesnel Rodeo Club is presenting the fifth annual Matt O’Flynn Roughstock School, sponsored by the British Columbia Rodeo Association (BCRA), April 4-6 at Alex Fraser Park.
The clinic will feature bull and steer riding, bareback and saddle bronc, taught at the school by former BCRA champions.
O’Flynn, a five-time Bull Riders Canada Champion and 2015 Quesnel Rodeo and B.C. Rodeo Champion, recently retired from his professional rodeo career last winter after competing for 20 years, and he feels that now more then ever, clinics and schools play an imperative part in growing the sport.
“The biggest thing in rodeo in this day and age is development for sure,” he said. “In the old days, it was a lot easier to find a practice pen or somewhere to go to get on and become better. That part of riding is important, but so is the mental work, which I think is the biggest thing. I spent a lot of time with a teacher in California, a world champion who is regarded as the biggest deal in teaching bull riding — Gary Leffew — and that experience really spurred me on to start putting on these schools, and I have really enjoyed it.”
O’Flynn says his clinic is for riders of all skill levels and that he has enjoyed watching some of his younger students’ love for the sport grow as their skills develop and they return to the school year after year.
“We’ve had guys that came to us as steer riders and now have worked their way all way up into bull riding, and it’s really cool to see all the progression of their skills throughout the years,” he said.
The tuition fee for the school is $350 for all three days. Anyone interested in registering for the school or wanting to receive more information can contact Lori Joaquin at lori.joaquin@bcgeu.ca or speak with O’Flynn himself at 250-255-7678.
READ MORE: B.C. bullrider turns in his rope
editor@quesnelobserver.comLike us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter
