2018

Wade Joyal, Contestant

Inducted October, 2018

Wade Joyal

Wayde Joyal grew up in Quesnel, B.C.  a community in the North Cariboo region, known for its logging and close proximity to Barkerville, home of the 1860’s Cariboo Gold Rush.

Quesnel Billy Barker Days is an annual exhibition and the biggest amateur rodeo, and it was on Wayde Joyals’ calendar every year.  He competed initially in the steer riding, then moved to bull riding and bareback riding with occasional appearances in the team roping.

His first bull might of ended his brilliant career, but Wade learned early on to overcome obstacles.  While getting ready on his first bull at the Quesnel rodeo, the bull in the chute behind him hooked the slide open, jumping onto Wayde’s bull. He got a horn under Wayde’s leg, chucking him over the gate into the arena, breaking his leg. That same leg was broke 5 more times throughout his career.

Wayde competed in the BC High School Rodeo Association winning the bareback riding and attending the NHSRA finals in 1985. He suffered a broken back in 1984, and rode in his first CFR in 1985, as a Novice Bareback Rider, and finished second. He went on to win many titles in the Interior Rodeo Asocciation, Northern Rodeo Association and the Yellowhead Rodeo Association.  1986 was a banner year winning six saddles in the Bull Riding, Bareback Riding and the All Around.

In 1987 Wayde bought his CPRA card, winning second at his first rodeo in Regina.  Wade qualified for 6 CFR’S: 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997 & 1999.  Winning the Bull Riding in 1993 and 1994, and was runner up 3 times.  In 1997 Wade would qualify for the CFR but injury kept him from competing, allowing the 11th man,  Robert Bowers to move up - he won the finals that year. 

In 1997, Wayde was the season leader in the PRCA going into the NFR, only $12,000.00 separated the top 15 that year.   He didn’t have a good finals competing on a recently broken leg from the PBR finals, he blow his shoulder out in round 6, ending his NFR bid, he finished 10th overall. After healing up Wayde went on to qualify for one final CFR in 1999 and finished tied for second.  To this day Wayde is the only Canadian Bull Rider to have been a season leader in the PRCA.

Wayde was the second of four Canadian Bull Riders to make the CFR, NFR & PBR finals in the same year.  Daryl Mills in 1994, Wayde in 1997, Robert Bowers in 1999 and Jordan Hansen 2017.  The nagging back injury, broken legs, bad shoulder, broken jaw and many other injuries suffered rodeoing along with the endless miles as a professional cowboy led to Waydes decision to retire after riding his last bull at the 1999 CFR.

Wade now works as a pipeliner, still lives in the Quesnel area and enjoys attending rodeos when he can.

Doug “Shakey” Russell, Builder

Inducted, October 2018

Doug (Shakey) rUSSELL

Doug Russell the youngest of 5 children, was born and raised in Caroline. A town kid with no ranching or rodeo experience, he played hockey. At a 1977 minor hockey slave auction, Harvey Northcott bought the 18 year old. Making good on the deal, Doug spent the day helping Harv load square bales. Harv toured him around the ranch and while looking at the bucking bulls, Doug commented, “ Anybody can fight these things.” Harv replied, “Let’s find out.”

Brian Boice was Doug’s teacher the first day of the Caroline FCA Rodeo. Doug admits he wasn’t very good. He remedied that by going to rodeos, watching and studying the likes of: Skipper Voss, Wick Peth and Kelly Lacoste. He studied the bulls and the art of fighting them. Hockey had taught him the importance of knowing your opposition. Needing a place to live and wanting to work on the ranch, he found himself knocking at Northcott’s door. Eileen said he could stay if he’d coach Ty’s hockey team.  Wanting to work more rodeos, Doug chatted with Harv, who encouraged him to go, pursue his goals. Doug would go on to work for every professional stock contractor in the business at the time.

Doug picked up the nickname “Shakey”, courtesy of Bob Robertson. These days bullfighters worked primarily solo, and were often the comedy of rodeo as well. He did get to fight alongside other bullfighters at Regina, Medicine Hat and the CFR, where his co-workers included; Rob Smets, Kelly Lacoste and Wayne Ethier.

He was elated in 1980 when Jim Freeman called to tell him he was the first Canadian selected to work the CFR. Doug fondly recalls the 1981 Rodeo East tour, where his first standing ovation came in Moncton when Rob Smets ran down the back of a bull and then he rode it backwards.

Shakey enjoyed seeing all the bull riders at rodeos, making many lasting friendships over the years. He fondly recalls a flamboyant Bob Tallman sharing the dressing room at the CFR. Jon Taylor and Shakey took the announcer’s ruffled shirt and fancy duds, dressed up Tom Bews and sent him out into the arena. Another time Jon Taylor and he were driving from Saskatoon back to Calgary through a spring storm. They hit a big bump, driving in and out of the ditch then carried on their way. Upon arriving, their barrel wasn’t in the back of the truck, so they backtracked, finding the barrel in the ditch near Alsask.

Driven to make the CFR, Shakey worked anywhere between 130 and 160 performances a year (long before PBR’s and stand-alone events). He couldn’t chance not making the finals by taking time off to heal up. If he had to do it over again, he says he would now. Shakey’s business sense had him choosing to work several rodeos, rather than going to the shows that carried more prestige.

In the ‘80’s, no one was telling these guys how to tape their ankles. He’d had surgery on one knee a month after the 1980 finals and on the other one in 1983. In 1988, at Medicine Hat Shakey’s legs hurt so badly that he could no longer get into position. He didn’t want to quit, he truly enjoyed the people of rodeo…but he took off his cleats and walked away.

His biggest disappointment is that he never got to work the CFR healthy. After hanging up his cleats, he offered bullfighting schools in Ft. St. John and Caroline, and worked in conjunction with the Johansen Brothers Schools. His teaching turned back to hockey and he has been the instructor at a hockey school in Inuvik for 19+ years.

Doug married his high school sweetheart, Terri. In 1987 twin boys Kris and Ryan were born. Kris plays for the Edmonton Oilers and Ryan is a scout for San Jose’. These days the Russell’s run some cows, follow the careers of their sons and enjoy time with their granddaughter, Bray. They have scrapbooks and albums full of rodeo memories and now they can add a section on this worthy induction into the Canadian Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame.

Fred Duke, Contestant

Inducted October, 2018

FreD DUKE

Ranching and cowboying have been a part of the Duke family heritage for generations. Fred’s grandfather and name sake Fred, drove Hereford cattle from Iowa to Alberta, settling in the small town of Halkirk where with livestock, grain and vegetables, he raised his family. To be successful then you had to be or have cowboys. Developing Cowboy skills and talents ensured a productive day. Rodeoing allowed you to showcase your particular skill and talent. This allure plus a love for horses and cattle ignited young Fred’s love of rodeo.

Early on Fred developed a love for horses and began to train horses for family and friends. He learned to develop a horse’s mind and athletic ability, knowing what it took to make competitive horses, he began his journey as a renouned horse trainer. Fred began rodeoing amateur at 15: riding cows, bareback horses and saddle broncs with the likes of Dick Doan, Phil Doan and Doug Matier. A career short lived when Fred realized cutting and roping were more fun and less painful. “I never particularly enjoyed hitting the dirt”.

Leaving home at 17, Fred surrounded himself with knowledgeable horseman and trainers. For a short time he was breaking and raining horses for Banister Pipelines. At 18, Leecoll Stables (the only indoor arena in Edmonton at the time) hired Fred. Fred along with Bill Collins (now a Rodeo Hall of Famer and Cutting Horse Hall of Famer himself) trained 34 horses at any given time. Tip Armstrong would brush, saddle, cool down and wash horses, passing Fred and Bill a new horse as soon as they got off one. They rode from sun-up to sun-down. Fred worked at Leecoll Stables for seven years, developing barn management skills, training and managing jumping, cutting and rope horses, riding English and western, and competing with some of these horses in both calf roping and cutting events at the rodeos.

Wanting to specialize in calf roping, Fred focused on improving his roping skills. He left Leecoll Stables, and called Dean Oliver, now and American Rodeo Hall of Famer, 8 time world Champion Calf Roper, and 3 time World Champion All Around Cowboy, and asked to rope with him. Fred headed to Boise, Idaho and the two rodeoed the western coast together. Memories highlighting those adventures include: Pendleton Round-up and San Francisco’s Grand National Cow Palace Rodeo, where the small town Castor Cowboy finished 2nd place, roping against all of the top cowboys in the world at the time.

Finishing his successful journey on the American Rodeo circuit, Fred headed back to Canada and began working at Douglas Lake Cattle Company for Chunky Woodward, roping calves and cutting cattle. He invested in his first rope horses: Cindy Echos ( a 2 yr old quarter horse mare) and Little Joe, his size year old back up practice quarter horse gelding. Fred started and trained Cindy Echos, who won buckles for Fred and Dean Oliver. Fred’s most memorable rodeo on the circuit then was Calgary Stampede, while Ponoka Stampede was his favorite.

Fred’s dedication to rodeo earned him the 1966 Canadian Roping Championship, and the Canadian Rope Horse of the Year 1966. He is a 4 time Canadian Cutting Champion, belongs to the Canadian Cutting Horse Hall of Fame, is a past resident of the Canadian Cutting Horse Association, and Canadian Junior Jumping Champion. Fred won the Canadian Open Cutting Championship twice on the horse: Diane Kelabar. Under Fred’s coaching, amateur rider Shannon Flemming matched this record on the horse, earning her an induction into the Canadian Cutting Horse Hall of Fame as well. Fred won the Canadian Open Cutting Champions with War Mico, and trained Doc Twister to become the Cutting Horse High Point Reserve Champion of Canada. Fred rode cutting horses to top ten finishes an astounding fourteen times including 4 Canadian Champions and 2 Reserve Championships.

Winning these championships gave Fred the inspiration to realize his dreams. He launched the Duke Ranches brand in 1973, just south of Edmonton. Here Fred trained western horse and riders, and incorporated English disciplines, including jumping. He traveled Europe to learn how stallions are chosen for the sport, and meet with the best trainers, aiding to his success in the jumping world. Many of Fred’s horses have shown at Spruce Meadows in all five rings, one: Ebony Buzz was a 3 time Canadian Junior Champion!

Duke Ranches still operates under Fred’s ownership and management today. Fred states: “I’ve been fortunate to do so many great things in my career as a cowboy with little money”, adding with a laugh, “growing up a poor cowboy making a basic living breaking horses, riding and teaching people- I could have gone farther if I’d had the funds for $75000 horses rather than making do with $7500 shitters.”

Now to add to the resume:

an induction into the Canadian Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame - one hell of a cowboys dream come true!