story by Lindsay King
Three-time world champion barrel racer in the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association, Elaine Watt from Claresholm, Alberta, loves everything about rodeo and traveling. “I enjoy seeing all the small towns across the western provinces. All of my kids got their college degrees either in Oklahoma or Texas, so we have traveled all over with horses. I love to drive and see different parts of the country,” said the three-year NSPRA member and 13-time CFR qualifier. “I told my husband that I could not join the NSPRA until I was retired, because many of the rodeos are during the week.” A CPRA member since 1973, Elaine was inducted into the Canadian Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame in 2014. “It is a prestigious award and I was just excited to be nominated while I was still alive. Some of my friends are in there also, but they passed away before they were nominated.”
Elaine mounted her first real barrel horse at 12 years old at a barrel clinic, she was hooked after that. “My dad bought Quarter Horses for us to show, but my good friend let me ride her barrel horse at that clinic. I rodeoed all over Manatoba, the Prairie provinces and Montana.” Elaine taught every subject for grades four through 12 for more than 20 years. “I took a 16-year break from teaching to raise six children with my husband Neil. I went to high school rodeos for those 16 years and I was not able to rodeo myself, there just was not time for it.” Neil and Elaine are the parents of: Kirby, mother of two and veterinarian, Walker, also a veterinarian, Kaycee, mother of two and an emergency nurse, Kendra, mother of two and a dental hygienist, Katelan, mother of one and an obstetrics nurse, and Kipty, a recent graduate of Texas Tech University with a master’s degree in animal health and nutrition. In 1989, Elaine lost her son Kade to sudden infant death syndrome. She has hosted seven jackpots each fall in Claresholm in his honor for the past 28 years. “My daughters and I have started the Yellow Rose Futurity Derby also in his memory. I just like watching good, fast horses run barrels.”
Well versed in pushing and untieing calves for her kids and husband, Elaine quit goat tying when her 10-year-old started getting faster than her. Elaine jokes that she likes competing against her girls because it gives her more gumption to beat them. “Running hard and turning fast gives me a thrill. My girls always say to me: ‘mom, if you think you are going fast during a run, go faster.’” Elaine truly appreciates a well-broke and fast horse. “They have to be well broke now that I am older. I have five futurity horses coming up right now, but my daughters only let me ride one of them so I don’t get bucked off.” Elaine has always trained her own barrel horses, she lets someone else break them for her though. “I have futurity horses now, so I will have horses for my grandchildren to compete on once they are ready.”
Though Elaine attends many jackpots and futurities, rodeo is still her true love. “When you have rodeoed for as many years as I have, there is just a different feeling when going to a rodeo than a jackpot. I love watching the other events also. Usually going to a rodeo gives me the drive to do better.” In 1974, Elaine won the Calgary Stampede, when purses were much smaller for barrel racing than any other event. “My favorite rodeo in Canada is the Ponoka Stampede. The pattern is big and lots of people attend the rodeo. It is just as good as Calgary, but it is smaller with less traffic. The rodeo committee is also great.” The NSPRA is a great association for Elaine because the laid-back atmosphere allows her to bring young horses to rodeos. “It is still competitive, but it is not a rat race. I also don’t have to travel that far, there are usually two or three rodeos in one spot. And I enjoy visiting with people my age.”
