Armstrong explained there are 10 rodeos in the intercollegiate season in the US stretching fall to spring. In the Central Plains Region that Dodge is a part of, they will compete in Kansas and Oklahoma. They will go and travel as a team. They have fun, cheer for each other, and benefit from coaching that helps them prepare and compete.
“You are all on a team, but you are basically competing against each other. But that’s what I like about rodeo. It is competitive, but it’s not dirty. It’s just straight up – everybody cheers for everybody, everybody wants everybody to do good, but they are also working as hard as they can to out do each other.”
Armstrong competes in team roping and calf roping. As he explained, team roping has two people roping a calf – one front, one back. Calf roping is one rider chasing down a calf, roping it, stepping off, flanking it and tying. He will be competing in both when at Dodge. The calf roping is relatively new for Armstrong, but he feels he is building well in that direction.
Interestingly, Armstrong said he has not been in rodeo that long compared to others. He said he only has been on a horse for around five years, and started high school rodeo about three years ago. One of the big influences on his was Mike Denbow of Souris, who has worked for in the summer. He pushed him to get involved in the rodeo scene. Armstrong gives Denbow a lot of credit for building his foundation and for getting him to where he is at now.
In the short amount of time he has been in rodeo, he has been in a number of competitions. He feels a strong drive to compete and improve. Armstrong likes the lifestyle, and not only roping
“I like waking up early in the morning, getting on a horse, moving cattle, taking care of cattle. Being a steward of land as they say.”
Armstrong is taking what he loves in college, farming ranch management with associated applied science, so that he can have a ranch with cattle and horses in the future.
He will be continuing with the high school association before graduation. The provincials will be in Virden in June. Manitoba High School Rodeo members go to provincial finals. They compete there in three rounds to see if they compete in Canadian and National finals. The season starts in the fall and runs to spring. During the season, they receive points, and at finals the points are worth double. It can have quite an impact. For example, last season he and his team-roping partner, Kelsey McGee of Deloraine started strong, but slumped a little in the spring season. They went into provincials in third place, but finished second there, qualifying for both Canadians and Nationals. The Nationals in 2025 were in Rock Springs, Wyoming in July and the Canadians the next month in Brandon. They were a great experience and he is hoping they can move to that level again in 2026.
He is presently applying for scholarships to help with his schooling from the MHSRA. Armstrong said the association is very good at raising money for students.
Armstrong is really looking forward to moving on to his next phase. He is very familiar with Dodge City and he feels it is calling his name. He will be taking three horses down to compete with and really wants to get better for the future.
“I’m hoping to improve my competitiveness while I’m down there,” he stated. “Rodeo is so much bigger there. Culturally, it’s very different there as well. I’m hoping to learn, improve and grow, become a better roper and a better person while I’m down there and also bring back a little knowledge. Come back here, ranch and rodeo. Who knows where life takes me, but I’d like to try a little semi pro rodeo.”
by PAUL RAYNER, Recorder staff