Photo by Kimberley French.

Contributed photo

Travel Directions:
From Hwy 1 (Trans-Canada Hwy), take Hwy 21 north to Township Road 263. Turn right (east) on 263. Rockyford is at the intersection of 263 and Range Road 233. From Main Street in Rockyford (where you will find three Brokeback buildings), walk approximately two blocks northeast on 1st Avenue E to the rodeo grounds.

Remarks:
The Canadian production team, which was assembled to make the film, was pleased to learn that it would include rodeo footage. Alberta takes pride in its vibrant rodeo scene and has no shortage of highly qualified rodeo riders. Rockyford was one of many possible venues where suitable rodeo grounds, and plenty of rodeo cowboy talent, were available. See:

http://www.FindingBrokeback.com/Rockyford/r08.htm

First assistant director Pierre Tremblay was asked to coordinate a number of rodeo scenes for possible use in the film. Many of them failed to make it there, such as this scene which features steer wrestling. Also known as bulldogging, this is an event in which the horse runs alongside the steer and continues on as the wrestler grips the steer’s right horn and hits the ground, bringing the steer to a stop. He then throws the steer off balance and wrestles it to the ground. See:

http://rodeo.about.com/cs/steerwrestling/a/steerbasics.htm