Central Alberta Bringing PRORODEO back 'Home' to Red Deer

The Red Deer community speaks up about the need for ProRodeo to return to their town. They have successfully scheduled the inaugural Red Deer Pro Rodeo for May 2026.

Red Deer Pro Rodeo

PRORODEO is headed back to Red Deer, Alberta. Westerner Park is bringing rodeo home to Red Deer after the community has expressed a need for the spirit of rodeo to return.

With the Maple Leaf circuit just completing, rodeo is on the hearts and minds of Canadians. The growth of PRORODEO in the past few years substantiated a new circuit for the PRCA. Now was a great time to introduce a new rodeo.

When Can Red Deer Expect Cowboy Hats to Flood Their Town?

Kade Bruno | Fernando Sam-Sin

May 21-23. the Marchant Crane Centrium will host one of the first stops on the CPRA circuit for 2026.

The Red Deer community is excited to bring the rodeo energy back to the town. In fact, the decision to bring the rodeo back was made based on the feedback from the community and the great demand for the rodeo event. So much western heritage lives within the history of Red Deer making it an easy decision to have the cowboys and cowgirls back to compete for big payouts and new rodeo titles.

What Is the Goal for the New Rodeo?

Ky Hamilton | Nathan Meyer Photography

The Red Deer Rodeo committee wants to keep traditions within rodeo alive and not reinvent the sport. They would rather bring rodeo back home to central Alberta as provide an event that preserves the customary energy of rodeo.

Though the committee plans on the inaugural rodeo to be a big hit for both rodeo fans and contestants, the goal is to grow more each year.

 In an immediate press release on November 28 by Pro Rodeo Canada, the CEO of the CPRA, Denny Phipps, explained, “We are so excited to have a rodeo in Red Deer early in our season. This event will be one that helps contestants get a jump start on the year, and with the deep rodeo history in Central Alberta, we look forward to seeing large crowds as we roll into the summer.”

What Does Adding New Big Pro Rodeos Mean for the Contestants?

Fernando Sam-Sin/@fsamsin

The contestants will never argue about more good rodeos to attend. More opportunities for them to compete is always a great thing.

As the PRCA events grow and new ones are added they allow for more exposure within these communities to educate and involve more people in the western industry.

Who Can You Expect To See Attend This Rodeo?

Tom Crouse | Nathan Meyer Photography

With the added money and the optimal timing of this Red Deer Rodeo, you should see many of the top Canadian and American PRCA and WPRA members name on the day sheets.

This will act as a kickoff event on the CPRA tour. Summertime in Canada means rodeo time. The Canadian Pro Rodeos are a part of a circuit system within Canada. Both local and nationally ranked cowboys will put the Red Deer Pro Rodeo on their 2026 schedule.

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