This October, at the annual inductions held in Calgary, Ken Brower, Norman & Shirley Edge, Alex Laye, Nathan Woldum and J H Necklace will be honoured as this year’s additions to the Hall of Fame.
Ken Brower
Ken Brower was born on May 22, 1921 at Wild Horse, Alta. When he entered his first rodeo at Chester, Mont. at a young age, Brower entered all of the events, placing in four of them.
In 1947, he was crowned as Canada’s third-ever all-around champion, finishing third in the saddle bronc event that same year.
Between 1947 and 1950, Brower finished in the top five in the saddle bronc and bareback events a total of five times, three times in the bronc riding, twice as a bareback rider.
Although he retired from competition in 1960, he remained interested in rodeo his entire life.
Credited with importing many of the first registered quarter horses in Canada, several of the bloodlines Brower started are still used in the rodeo arena today.
Brower also traded bucking horses and raised bucking bulls. In 1978, Black Bart, one of his bulls won the Canadian bull of the year award.
Brower married Bernice Gilchrist of Maple Creek, Sask. in 1948. They had five children, all of whom have become active in the sport of rodeo.
He passed away on June 17, 1982 at the age of 69.
Norman & Shirley Edge
Norman & Shirley Edge are the first-ever couple to be inducted simultaneously into the Hall of Fame. They were married in 1950.
Shirley Edge
When the Canadian Rodeo Historical Association (parent organization of the Canadian Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame) was established in 1980, Shirley became the first secretary and was instrumental in obtaining charity status for the organization in 1981.
She was also president of the CRHA from 1984-1986.
It was during this time that the Hall of Fame found its first permanent home in Cochrane, Alta. at the Western Heritage Centre.
In 1977, Shirley helped Keith & Monica Hyland with the development of the CRES (Central Rodeo Entry System) system, which is still in use today.
Shirley organized the first CPRA convention, awards banquet and rodeo dance, held in conjunction with the first Canadian Finals Rodeo in 1974.
She volunteered at the Canadian Finals Rodeo Sponsor Banquet for many years and helped establish the Ladies of Pro Rodeo Fashion Show, which is still a great success today.
Norman Edge
Norman started out his rodeo career as a boys steer rider, entering all the roughstock events before finally settling on bull riding as his No. 1 event. Norman competed over 25 times at the Calgary Stampede during his competitive career.
He was the eighth president of the CPRA, serving from 1972-1973.
While Norman never won a Canadian championship, he finished in the top five bull riding standings seven times.
Norman served as a rodeo judge all over North America, working high-profile rodeos such as Calgary, Pendleton, Walla Walla, Cloverdale, Ponoka, El Paso, Phoenix and almost every rodeo in Canada at some point in his tenure. He judged the Expo Rodeo in Montreal, Que. in 1967.
Norman was the trail boss for the very successful Hooves of History Cattle Drive and Rodeo, a fundraiser for the Western Heritage Centre.
Norman and Shirley live in Cochrane and are still very active in the rodeo community.
Alex Laye
Alex Laye was born on June 21, 1930 and at one time or another worked every event in the sport of rodeo.
At a rodeo in Alsask, Sask. in 1954, Laye won first place in all three roughstock events (saddle bronc, bareback, bull riding), won the tie-down roping and finished second in the horse race & jackpot roping as well.
For his efforts, he took home a total of $250.
Laye, the Canadian steer wrestling & decorating champion in 1964, has always been known for his calm demeanour and as a skilled musician who spent many hours entertaining his fellow cowboys and cowgirls after the rodeo was over.
Laye also claimed three Canadian cow milking championships—in 1959, 1963 and 1964—finished in the top three in the all-around race on four occasions, was fourth in the bull & steer riding standings in 1953 and a top five finisher in the tie-down roping six times.
Alex Laye lives in Consort, Alta. and is a Life Member of the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association.
Nathan Woldum
Nathan Woldum was born March 10, 1912 on a farm northwest of Strathmore. Woldum started off as chuckwagon outrider in 1931, adding bareback riding to his repertoire in 1933, winning the Calgary Stampede. It paid $100 and $70 in day monies.
Woldum also won the world bareback title that year, and is the only Canadian to ever win a world title in that event.
But, the record books show: “Nate Waldrum, Strathmore, Alberta… 1933”
In typical cowboy modesty, Woldum was aware of the mistake, but never bothered to have them correct it.
“They always spelled my name wrong,” said Woldum in an interview in 1989. “The mistake was made in New York and it’s stayed that way all through the years.”
He began riding bareback horses at 17, and only did so competitively for four years, but his mark is certainly still there today.
Woldum passed away March 21, 1998 at the age of 87.
J H Necklace
This year’s stock inductee is J H Necklace, a bareback horse owned by Harry & Wayne Vold.
Described as “one of the rankest and consistent bareback horses that Canada and North America had,” she was often referred to as “Great Necklace” by both announcers and reporters.
Necklace was named world champion BB horse at the National Finals Rodeo held in Los Angles in 1963, the first of four times.
In January of 2007, Harry was asked in a documentary what were the best bucking horses he ever owned. Without hesitation he said J.H. Necklace in the bareback category.
LETHBRIDGE SPRING RODEO RESULTS AND STANDINGS
Results from the Dodge Extreme Indoor Pro Rodeo, held in Lethbridge, Alta. this past weekend, as well as updated Canadian standings, are not available at this time.
They will be released as soon as possible.
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