1996

Brian Butterfield - Contestant
Inducted - November 9, 1996

Brian Butterfield

When Brian was fifteen years old, he traveled with Cliff Claggett’s Wild West Show in Saskatchewan, where he began to compete in the bareback bronc riding event. That was the start of a rodeo career that lasted almost two decades.

In 1951 he joined the Cowboys’ Protective Association and began to compete professionally in the bareback riding . He soon began to enter the Steer Decorating and this would become the event in which he would excel.

Brian went on to win the Canadian Championship in steer Wrestling and decorating in 1953, 55, 61 and 1965 and placed second in 1956 and 1960. With the exception of 1957, he was never less than fifth in the standings from 1952 to 1965.

In the bareback riding event he placed second in 1958, third in 1953 and 57, fourth in 1954 and fifth in 1952 and 1959.
Brian won the Canadian All Around championship in 1958.

He was the president of the Canadian Rodeo Cowboys Association from 1958 to 1959. It was during this time that steer decorating was replaced at most rodeos by steer wrestling.

Brian was born on November 4, 1933 at Ponoka, Alberta where he still resides with his wife, Verna.

Bud Butterfield - Contestant
Inducted - November 9, 1996

Bud Butterfield

The holder of the record for the most Canadian championships in steer wrestling , which is six, Bud Butterfield is the middle sibling of the Butterfield brothers. He was born July 19, 1930.

Bud joined the Cowboys' Protective Association in 1956 and won his first championship that same year. From then until his retirement in 1964, he was never less than third in the year-end standings
.
He was first in 1956, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1962 and 1963, was second in 1957 and 1964 and third in 1961. Bud won the steer decorating and steer wrestling at the Calgary Stampede in 1956, 1959, 1962, and 1963. Remarkably, both of these records still stand. Much of Bud's success was due to the team of steer wrestling horses the Butterfield’s owned, which were Spud and Twist.

In 1966, the Butterfield brothers decided to venture into other business interests. They started a 2,000 head feedlot whereby Tom managed the operation, Brian would purchase the cattle and Bud took care of the mechanical operations.

In 1987, Bud received his Canadian Professional Rodeo Association Life Membership.

Sadly Bud passed away in January, 2019.

Tom Butterfield - Builder
Inducted - November 9, 1996

Tom Butterfield

The Butterfield's were raised on a mixed farm west of Ponoka, Alberta, and as teenagers, had ample opportunity to ride a few old cows and yearlings, thereby acquiring the skills and desire to compete.

At the age of 16, Tom decided to enter the boys steer riding at a small rodeo at Asker,
just east of Ponoka. He drew a good animal and won third. He was hooked on the sport and started to compete in the bareback riding and cow riding at many of the local rodeos.

In 1956, Tom joined the Cowboys' Protective Association and turned his interests to steer wrestling and decorating, traveling with his brothers Brian and Bud.

In 1957 he was third in the Canadian standings, second in 1963 and fourth in 1965.

Tom was the steer wrestling Director for the Cowboys' Protective Association in 1960 and 1961 and was elected President for the next four years - 1962 to 1965, and was again elected to the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association Board in 1981 and 1982. He is currently a member of the Ponoka Stampede rodeo committee.

Tom, the oldest of the Butterfield brothers, was born on January 27, 1928. He and his wife Mollie divide their time between Ponoka and Arizona, where they have ranching interests. Sadly both Tom and Mollie have since passed away.

Mel “Big Bull” Hyland - Contestant
Inducted - July 8,1996

Mel Hyland

Mel Hyland, affectionately known as "Big Bull", was one of Canada's best known bronc
riders, a distinction he well deserves. Rodeo was always apart of the Hyland family, so it was natural that Mel would be involved.

In 1958 at age ten, he competed at his first rodeo, the Calgary Stampede, in the boys steer riding .His main event eventually became the Saddle Bronc riding but he also competed in the Bareback riding as well as Calf Roping

His outstanding achievements include winning the Novice Saddle Bronc championship in 1966, the Canadian saddle bronc championship in 1967, 1972, 1979 and 1982 and he was the Canadian bareback champion in 1975. In 1972, Mel was the world champion saddle bronc rider and split the title again in 1976 with Monty Henson.

Mel qualified for the Canadian Finals Rodeo nine times, from 1974 to 1982 and the National Finals Rodeo eleven times, 1967 to 1977.

In 1981 Mel was chosen as the recipient of the prestigious C.N. Woodward “Cowboy of the Year” award.

Mel lost the 1981 Canadian Saddle Bronc championship at the CFR in a ride-off between himself and Clayton Hines. Both had 115 points at the end of six complete go-rounds. Mel only managed a mark of 78, Clayton marked an 82, and won the championship.

He is an accomplished horse trainer, and still pursues his interest in singing and playing the guitar.

Moonshine #33 - Animal
Inducted - August 2, 1996

Moonshine

Reputed to be among of the most honest bucking horses of his time, Reg Kesler's palomino horse Moonshine, came from the short grass country near Wardlow, Alberta.

He became a fine looking three year old and it was decided that he would make a good saddle horse, however he refused to be broke. Because of his disposition, he was sold twice and ended up at the Calgary Stampede in 1960 where he was purchased by Reg Kesler from Jim Armstrong.

The animal performed in the arena 24 years and became known as one of the toughest, yet classiest bareback horses in the business.

Moonshine traveled at least 200,000 miles by truck, all the way to Peace River, Alberta in the north to the Astrodome in Houston, Texas in the south and to Vancouver, British Columbia, in the west to the World's Fair in Montreal, Quebec in the east.

Moonshine was also a big factor in the history books in the CPRA as he performed at all of the first nine Canadian Finals Rodeos. Among the honors won by this great gelding are the best bareback horse in the world in 1973; best bareback horse of Canada in 1974, 1975, 1977 and 1978; best bareback horse at the National Finals Rodeo in 1971, and was third at the NFR in 1970 and 1973; and was the best bareback horse at the Calgary Stampede in 1973, 1975, 1977 and was second in 1978.

This great animal was retired from rodeo action in 1984 at the Medicine Hat rodeo and until his death, the 33 year old horse lived a life of ease at the Kesler ranch in Rosemary, Alberta. Moonshine was laid to rest on November 6, 1987 in the rodeo arena at Medicine Hat, Alberta.