Deep Roots and Flying Dirt: The Enduring Legacy of the Bentley Rodeo

 The Enduring Legacy of the Bentley Rodeo

    Nestled in the shadow of the Sunset Hills, the town of Bentley sits like a jewel in the beautiful Blindman Valley. It is a geographic feature that caught the attention of many early pioneers, and that valley remains the true heartbeat of this Central Alberta community. In 1899, Major William McPherson and his sons purchased homesteads and laid out the original townsite. They were true pioneers of agriculture and commerce, establishing a local store and building a cheese factory that heavily influenced the early growth of the town.

    Like so many towns built on grit, Bentley faced early hardships. In 1916, a devastating fire ripped through the community, wiping out much of the south side of Main Street and destroying the business section. But true to the western way of life, the people of Bentley persevered and rebuilt. That same resilience and fierce community pride is exactly what was on full display this past weekend for the 2026 Bentley Fair and Rodeo.

A Modern Return: New Roads and Old Rivalries

    Pulling into Bentley last Friday carried a slightly surreal weight—a blending of the past and the present that catches you off guard if you have been away for a while. The old, familiar rhythm of the drive, turning right off the highway and shooting straight down Main Street, has been replaced by the modern efficiency of a new bypass road and a roundabout. The town is growing and adapting. Yet, amidst that progress, there is a distinct, bittersweet quietness on the street where the legendary Monkey Top Saloon once stood. Seeing that empty space where it has yet to be rebuilt is a stark reminder of how landscapes change.

    For years, the road to Bentley was strictly a winter pilgrimage. It meant packing up and heading north into the freezing dark to watch the Innisfail Eagles clash with the Bentley Generals. It was a fierce, heavy-hitting senior hockey rivalry that, more often than not, ended in a long, quiet drive home for Innisfail fans. Those nights were defined by the biting cold outside and the deafening, echoing roar of the local arena inside.

    But stepping through the doors of that very same arena this weekend, the ghosts of those old winter rivalries were instantly eclipsed by something truly mind-blowing. The sheer scale of the renovations and the capital invested into upgrading the facility is staggering.

    Walking through the modernized building, it is impossible not to be incredibly impressed by the monumental effort the community has poured into preserving it. They haven't just patched the roof or slapped on a coat of paint; they have completely revitalized the space to ensure it remains the undeniable hub of the community. It stands as a masterclass in how a rural town protects its gathering places. Whether it is sheltering a bitter winter hockey clash or throwing its doors open to anchor the summer crowds during the rodeo, the arena proves that this community will invest whatever it takes to keep their western heritage, their sports, and their people united under one roof all year long.

The Roots of the Celebration

    That western heritage runs deep. The history of the Bentley Rodeo is intertwined with the community’s love for the horse and the harvest. The foundation for what would become an iconic summer weekend began on March 22, 1962, with the formation of the Sunset Hills Riding Club. The club hosted an early morning pancake breakfast, famously utilizing a truck mounted with speakers that drove through Gull Lake Campground like a Pied Piper to draw campers into town. Another appreciated feature was the serving of an unlimited quantity of cold, whole milk, supplied by the local dairy farm of James and Sheila Morison.

    The rodeo action officially kicked off in 1966. Sponsored by the Bentley Elks, the first rodeos were held on Thursday and Friday evenings, with livestock provided by Gimlet Rodeo Stock. Over the years, the rodeo has featured everything from wild-cow milking to grand entries performed by "Strike Force," a ladies' horseback group organized by Tina Wasik that later became the "Sunset Riders."

    As the rodeo grew, community leaders like Ken Bargholz, with help from Lacombe Ag Rep Gerry Wynnia, recognized the need to fill the afternoons with agricultural education, leading to the creation of the Town and Country Fair. It became a spectacular showcase of the Blindman Valley's agricultural strength, featuring a "Little Red Barn" that housed livestock for hands-on learning—including exotic chickens courtesy of Len Stoness, a brown Swiss-Holstein cross cow named Mrs. Beasley, sheep brought by Rosie Nelson, and Squeeky the donkey. In March 1974, the Bentley & District Agricultural Society was officially granted its Certificate of Organization, becoming the official umbrella for the weekend.

Icons in the Dirt: Brotherhood and the Bright Arena Lights

    Returning to the dirt for another Central Alberta Rodeo Association (CARA) performance is always a homecoming of sorts, but Friday night in Bentley carried a distinct, unforgettable weight. For a professional photographer, the arena is an office, a proving ground, and occasionally, a classroom. Friday provided the incredibly humbling opportunity to shoot alongside a true industry idol: Brian Cole of Cole Fired Photography.

    In the tight-knit world of western photography, Brian is an inspiration. His resume speaks for itself—having captured for Show Champions and helped pioneer PhotoServe, a platform that has revolutionized the digital workflow for fellow photographers. To stand in the same arena, swapping stories and gathering hard-earned knowledge from someone who has shaped the modern landscape of the craft, made for an exceptional evening behind the lens.

    But the rodeo has a way of keeping everyone grounded, and the reality of the craft quickly provided a humbling lesson of its own. Transitioning from the bright, unforgiving outdoor sunlight of summer into the artificial glow of an indoor arena is a jarring shift, and in the excitement of the evening, I missed a crucial technical pivot. Realizing after the fact that the camera settings hadn't been fully dialed in for the indoor environment was a heavy, disappointing blow. It meant demanding a tremendous amount of meticulous, heavy lifting in the editing room to salvage the frames. Yet, that is the unglamorous reality of the western way of life—when things don't go perfectly according to plan, you put your head down, do the hard work, and make it right.

The Magnetic Pull of the Chutes and the Duality of the Dirt

    If the camera settings were a struggle, the energy in the building was a total triumph. The Friday night crowd was absolutely incredible, but Saturday night proved definitively that the town of Bentley knows how to pack a barn.

    Stepping into the arena on Saturday was like stepping back in time to the peak of a Bentley Generals playoff run. There was not a millimeter of spare room to move. The stands were overflowing, the energy was palpable, and the community had turned out in full force for the sheer excitement of the event. Thinking back to the fierce animosity of those old Innisfail Eagles games, there was always one undeniable truth that had to be respected: this community supports its own with a fierce, unwavering loyalty. A rodeo is no different than a local hockey team for this town. They show up, they support the athletes, they support the local businesses, and they ensure the event goes off without a hitch.

    Caught up in the rhythm of the rodeo, the evening was spent deeply entrenched with the cowboys, the officials, and the roughstock athletes at the west end of the arena. Operating as the sole photographer in the building on Saturday night provided a unique vantage point, and the conversations behind the lens are beginning to shift in a fascinating way. People in the rodeo world are starting to connect the dots. They are figuring out the face behind the camera, the family I belong to, and the farm I come from.

    Every handshake is a guessing game: are we talking about photography business today, or are we talking about the possibility of hay sales? Our farm has spent decades building a solid reputation for putting up premium hay for the equine market, and standing in a packed arena full of horsemen and women makes two things abundantly clear. First, the agricultural and western communities are incredibly intertwined. Second, standing in the middle of that rodeo crowd makes a person wish they had put up another hundred acres of hay this summer, because there is no doubt it would sell out in a heartbeat.

    However, that magnetic pull of the chutes did come with a tinge of regret. Between a demanding daytime editing schedule that delayed an early arrival, and getting swept up in the conversation at the west end, the opportunity to explore the rest of the Bentley Fair slipped away. The bench show entries and the lobby exhibits at the opposite end of the building were left unseen. It was a small sacrifice, but a reminder that the Bentley Rodeo is so much more than just eight seconds in the dirt—it is a sprawling celebration of agriculture that demands a full weekend to truly appreciate.

The Unsung Heroes of the Blindman Valley

    None of this magic happens by accident. Massive, sincere props must be given to the Bentley & District Agricultural Society, the sponsors, the volunteers, the bench show entrants, and every single person who lifted a finger to make the 2026 Bentley Fair and Rodeo a reality. You all deserve a massive pat on the back and the utmost gratitude.

    The true heartbeat of that volunteer spirit was perhaps best exemplified by the Bentley Fire Department. Throughout the weekend, these men and women were pulling double duty—running security and hosting their fundraising cookouts. While chatting with one of the firefighters working security, he shared a story that perfectly encapsulates the resilience of this town. Right after finishing up the pancake service, the tones dropped. The crew was called out on an emergency.

    When a crisis pulls the first responders away, a community event can easily derail. But not in Bentley. While the fire department was out doing the critical, dangerous work they are trained to do, the community simply stepped up. The day kept running smoothly. The transition to the burger cookout continued without a missed beat. Nobody complained, nobody was upset about delays; the community just held the line.

    There are specific details about that emergency call that the firefighter felt comfortable sharing with me—a level of trust that I hold in the highest regard. But those details belong in confidence, not in print. What truly matters, and the story that deserves to be broadcasted, is the outcome. The food was cooked, the funds for the department were successfully raised, the people were happy, and most importantly, every single man and woman of the Bentley Fire Department made it back to the arena safe and sound. They returned to their families, back to the cookout, and back to the rodeo.

    Hearing that story, and seeing that unbroken chain of community support in action, is exactly why covering these western events is so incredibly important. It makes the heart happy to witness that kind of true, rural solidarity. Following the long weekend in August, the town of Bentley continues to host a celebration that stands as a testament to the enduring power of community, agriculture, rodeo, and the western way of life. They did one hell of a job.

Lee J. Kemp

Every Moment Is A Choice Studio 🔗 emiacstudio.ca

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