New Year’s Eve bull riding event packs Crossroads Centre for third straight year
By Savanna Tye, Committee Chair
OYEN — The Crossroads Centre rode into 2026 with a sold-out night of bull riding, live music and community fundraising as the Third Annual New Year’s Eve Bull Riding event drew competitors and spectators from across Canada and the United States.
Festivities began Dec. 31 with a steak supper hosted by The New Brigden Home and School Association. The night’s competition got underway at 7 p.m. with Jerilyn Norris performing the national anthem.
Twenty-four bulls and riders battled through the long round, with the top eight advancing to the “pick your poison” short round. Calgary’s Nick Tetz led the qualifiers, followed by Stephan Tonita, Cauy Schmidt, Dakota Buttar, Holden Atkinson, Coy Robbins, Trinity Bear and Jhett Wheeler.
CHAMPIONS! Winners of buckles, from left: bull riding champion Nick Tetz, with a buckle sponsored by Randy Girletz and Dylan James Trucking, and steer riding champion Brady Bignell, with a buckle sponsored by Kulyk Cattle Co.
Signed Program Winners: Two of the programs were signed by a cowboy. Winners, from left, Cheryl Sturm and Laura Allen. Each won a lovely perfume donated by Oyen Pharmacy. Photo by Savanna Ty
Winner of the 50/50: Don Hogan of Oyen took home $2,370. Photo by Diana Walker
Winner of the buckle for Mechanical Bull (age 13-17): Keller Tye. Committee member Dave Cordick presents the buckle sponsored by Halfway Pizza & Convenience Store. Photo by Savanna Tye
Winner of the Mechanical Bull (12 & Under): Stratten Girletz. Committee member Dave Cordick presents the buckle sponsored by Lazy TL Angus. Photo by Savanna Tye
Winner of the buckle for Mechanical Bull (Women): Sinead Gillis-Johnson. Committee member Dave Cordick presents the buckle sponsored by Halfway Pizza & Convenience Store.
Top Ride of the Night: Calgary bull rider Nick Tetz. Screenshot courtesy Poorboy Media
Winner of the buckle for Mechanical Bull (Men): on left, Jeremy Maisonneuve, gifting his buckle to Brooke Carpenter. On right, bullfighter Walker Hutton.
Sinead Gillis Johnson shows that she is Number 1 when it comes to the ladies mechanical bull riding.
Organizers introduced steer riding for the first time this year, featuring local competitors Quade Tye, Lennix Girletz, Rodney Laughlin and Brady Bignell, along with Marwayne cowboy Kane McKnight. Bignell earned the win after posting 68 points aboard Wicked Winnie, while Laughlin placed second with 61 points. Paul Falkhowsky, who won the silent auction Calcutta, collected $1,075 after placing the winning bid on Bignell.
Young auctioneer Dexter Hutton sold the short-round riders and the pen of bulls before the evening’s final showdown. The top eight returned to the arena competing for the Troy Fischer Buckle, sponsored by Randy Girletz and Dylan James Trucking.
Tetz sealed the title with a winning ride on Snow Day, earning a $9,300 payout and celebrating with champagne as the clock turned to midnight.
Several fundraising contests also paid out through the night. In the long-round “Buy a Bull,” Ranch Baby Bibs and Coden Kosolofski each collected $800, while Cody Ball and Sparkman Welding received $400 as second-place winners. In the short round, Robin Woods and Walker Bar 7 Bar Ranch each took home $1,000. Neil Howe was the top spender in the Calcutta, a decision that paid off with a win worth more than $6,500.
The event’s 50/50 draw raised $2,370, with Don Hogan taking home the grand prize.
While the arena action wrapped up, the concourse stayed busy with a mechanical bull competition offering buckles in four categories. Stratten Girletz won the 12-and-under division, Keller Tye claimed the 13-to-17 title, Sinead Gillis-Johnson won the women’s category and Jeremy Maisonneuve topped the men’s division.
The celebration continued with live music by Touch of Gray as attendees danced their way into the new year.
Organizers credited volunteers, sponsors, competitors and community supporters for making the annual event possible and said they are already looking ahead to next year’s festivities.