Sounding Lake Arena, Horse Training, Boarding, Events. Heated Viewing Area. Concession. Call Darren or Johanna Zieffle

A Special Thank You to:

Jim Fersch & Big West Dodge, Drayton Valley, AB
(A Troy Fischer STEER WRESTLING MEMORIAL BUCKLE
was awarded to Champion courtesy of Big West Dodge)

ABOUT TODD BOGGUST

We included this story because it helps explain who Todd was and why this event is held.
Blaine Pederson started this event following Todd's passing and moved the event to Sounding Lake Arena in 2007. Todd was a long time family friend and fellow competitor and it is such an honor to take over the hosting of this great event. Todd depicted what it meant to be a cowboy and a steer wrestler.
He will always be missed, but more importantly, always remembered.
Johanna & Darren Zieffle

TODD BOGGUST MEMORIAL STORY
~ as it appeared in Northern Horse Review Magazine ~
Story by Dwayne Erickson

Todd Boggust and Blaine Pederson traveled the rodeo trail together for a half dozen or so years in the late 1980s and early ‘90s.
They were among the world’s best at what they did – bulldogging steers.
They’d spent week upon week together on the road in the summer, year after year, constantly piling up the miles going from one rodeo to the next, hazing for each other, riding the same horses.
“Todd never once complained about anything,” said Pederson. “He was so strong that way. He didn’t want anybody to lend him a dime; he never asked for a favor.”
Todd Boggust was, inwardly, a proud and independent man, as capable in business as he was in the arena of competition, intent on building a future for himself, wife Denise and daughter Angie.
His desire was that they would never need to want.
And that’s how the 36-year-old Saskatchewan cattle rancher lived his life -- right up until the night he drew his final breath.
Todd Boggust, a Canadian and Calgary Stampede champion, a world-ranked steer wrestler, died in the early hours of Aug. 3, taken from his legion of friends by cancer.
“He didn’t want anybody to feel sorry for him,” said Pederson, “that was his biggest fear. He didn’t want anybody around the family who was going to shed a tear.”
Doctors in Saskatoon found cancer in his liver in May and a couple of weeks later, the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., pinpointed the esophagus as the source of the disease.
Boggust underwent treatments in Houston, which proved unsuccessful, returned home, sought another evaluation in Mexico and came home again, where he died peacefully in his sleep about three days later.
“I talked to him often on the phone and if you didn’t know he was sick, you would never have believed there was anything wrong,” said Pederson. “He was so tough about it, convinced he was going to beat this thing.”
“His dad Barry told me Todd would let him help him down the stairs, but was all,” said Pederson. “As soon as he got on flat (footing), Todd would say ‘let go of me.’ Then he’d walk over to a lawn chair on his own and sit down.”
Though the family asked that their privacy be respected, the rodeo community was aware that Boggust was in a fierce struggle to regain his health.
“We all knew in the back of our minds how serious it was,” said 1992 world champion Mark Roy. “In that way, (his death) wasn’t a shock. But, when it actually happens, it is; it’s hard to accept. We’re all a big family and when somebody that young dies, we’re never prepared for it.”
Boggust hooked up with Roy for his last road trip to several mid-March rodeos in Texas.
It was then that the 1995 Canadian champion revealed to friends that he wasn't feeling well.
Yet, he was at Red Deer in late April for the Silver Buckle Rodeo.
“He hazed for me and we had a beer together after the performance,” said Roy. “It’s hard to realize that just four months ago he was in the arena with me and now he’s gone. I would never think someone would die from a disease in such a short time.
“”It baffles me. It’s a shock.”
Steer Wrestling, Todd Boggust

Leon Laye, the 1998 Canadian champion, traveled with Boggust for two years shortly after the 6-foot-4, 230 lb., steer wrestler turned pro.
“He was the toughest bulldogger ever to come out of Canada,” said Laye, who has been in the business for 22 years. “When he was riding that great horse Baldy, which he owned with Blaine, he was untouchable.”
But for a broken barrier – and the 10-second penalty that went with it – Boggust would have won the 1994 world championship on Baldy. Instead, the buckle went to Pederson, who had Boggust hazing for him.
“Todd just loved that horse,” said Pederson. “Whenever we got to telling stories, he always talked about Porky and Chip, my hazing horse. Todd was a big, long man and he always liked a wide go (where he had to reach out for his steers). Porky always gave him the go he wanted. The sorrel was perfect for Todd.”
Coincidentally, Porky died of old age last winter.
“His body just shut down, his kidneys shut down,” said Pederson. “It was old age. He was 23. It’s been a sad year.”
Boggust was known for being meticulous, almost fussy, not only in the arena but in his ranch operation.
“He’d drive down to my place and practice. We’d run steer after steer after steer for two and a half hours and he’d be back two nights later and we’d be doing the same thing again,” said Pederson. “He put a lot of work and time into it.
“And you should see his place. He built it up himself from nothing. Home is a house trailer and he’s got a nice little barn and there’s not a thing out of place.”
It was the same on the road.
“His trailer was always well kept, his horses were well looked after and his truck was always first class,” said Roy. “To me, that’s about all you can say about him; he was first class.”
Three fund-raisers demonstrated the immense respect with which Boggust was held – not only in the rodeo world, but also his own community.
More than $175,000 was raised to help the family cope with medical bills.
“They showed just how well he was liked,” said Pederson. “The people who attended the benefit at Jackfish Lake in Battlefords Provincial Park were his neighbors and friends from around his community. And there were lots of them. Those at the benefit auction in Innisfail were the friends he had in rodeo, people he met on the road. They were a whole different group.”
A brief tribute was paid to Boggust prior to the steer wrestling during the third performance of the Heritage Days rodeo at Strathmore.
As the ceremony got underway, the bulldoggers formed a V in front of the timed event chute. Unsolicitied, the bullfighters, barrel racers, bronc riders, committeemen and stock contractors joined them and a white steer was turned out into the arena.
It spoke volumes about the widespread popularity of a man who will long be missed and never forgotten.

2007 Todd Boggust Memorial Steer Wrestling ARCHIVE