Monte Faulkner of Rutheron, New Mexico rides in the 2026 Novice Saddle Bronc Finals in Calgary. Courtesy photo

Monte Faulkner, center, and friends with friends Cooper McNiven, right and Kacen Nowicke at ‘the Greatest Outdoor Show On Earth’, the Calgary Stampede. Courtesy photo

Monte Faulkner, center, with parents Sage and Shane Faulkner. Courtesy photo

The view from the stands in Calgary. Courtesy photo

BY SAGE FAULKNER
Rutheron

We spent the week in Calgary at Calgary Stamped Rodeo, because our son Monte Faulkner and his traveling partners all qualified for the 2026 Novice Saddle Bronc Finals held at Calgary Stampede.  The young competitors qualified at rodeos throughout the summer, earning points in a program built by the Calgary Stampede rodeo committee to support the next generation of roughstock competitors.  

The background on how our New Mexico born and raised son spent the summer in Canada is a fun story.  Monte’s love of riding broncs partially comes from his dad, Shane, who also rode broncs as a young man and adult, making a career out of it for decades.  Shane spent a summer in Canada riding broncs back in the day and had great memories of that time.  The Canadian bucking horses are top notch and many of the great bronc riders come from Canada.  

Monte’s college roommate is from Alberta, Canada, and the boys decided to rodeo in Canada for the summer.  

I booked tickets early on in the hopes that at least one of the boys would qualify for the finals and we could watch them compete.  The fact that all three qualified is pretty special!  

We flew into Calgary and went straight to the rodeo grounds, spending most of our three days in Calgary there.  

We watched the chuck wagon races and the relay races, listened to amazing musicians, enjoyed the midway, ate mini-donuts, and watched the biggest rodeo I’ve ever seen!  

Calgary rodeo fans are like pro-football fans in the US.  They love rodeo and getting to watch these boys compete in front of 20,000 fans was unreal!  I will forever hold the memory of this time watching them compete close to my heart.  As a mom, it was amazing to see their hard work and drive push them to this level.  

All three boys rode both broncs both days, earning a spot in the final round.  Monte ended up 4th, buddy Kacen Nowicki was 3rd, and buddy Cooper McNiven was 2nd!  What a finale for them!  Three out of the top four spots!

And me, well, I’ll be thankful forever that I got to go! I’m thankful for Calgary Stampede, for fans that love rodeo, for the Nowicki and McNiven families who took Monte in like their own, for the sponsors helping the boys get down the road, and for bucking horses!  Long live Calgary and rodeo!