1991

Pete Lagrandeur - Contestant
Inducted - November 16 ,1991

Pete LaGrandeur

Pete LaGrandeur was born on April 1, 1890 in Pincher Creek. AB. He married Edith Vliet of Gem, AB in 1925 and they had seven children.

In 1924 Pete won the Canadian Bucking Horse Championship as well as the Canadian All Around title at the Calgary Exhibition and Stampede.

He used his knowledge of the sport of rodeo and judged at the Calgary Stampede for approximately ten years. Pete participated at rodeos throughout Western Canada for many years as a contestant competing in a number of events as well as officiating as arena director.

Pete worked, as Foreman, for various cow and horse outfits for many years. Among others, he worked for Jack Morton and J.J. Bowlen both of Southern Alberta. From 1933 to 1943 he was the stockman for the Castle River Cattle Association and was then the stockman for the Piegan Indian Reserve from 1943 until his death in 1957.

It was said that Pete had a special way with horses. No matter how rank the bronc or saddle horse was, Pete would have the patience to tame the animal and ride them as if they were a "Sunday pleasure horse.” The animals seemed to sense that he had no fear of any horse.

Pete never asked a man to do what he wasn't willing to do himself.

Pete LaGrandeur died in 1957 on July 1st, after having ridden in a parade in Fort Macleod, AB.  Peter was 67 years old at the time of his passing.