Professional Bull Riding rodeo returning to Butte July 8

By Erika Mathieu
Sunny South News

Rodeo fans can expect to be treated to quite the show at the upcoming Professional Bull Riding (PBR) rodeo in Picture Butte on July 8.

Chantele and Cody DeBolt produce the entire event under their events production company, Voltage Productions. The event-packed summer season is a hectic time, and organizers are hoping the upcoming PBR event in Picture Butte is bigger and better than in previous years.

“Things are crazy busy on our end, but it’s a good busy,” said Chantele.

The PBR event in Butte was first hosted in 2019, before pandemic restrictions forced the event into a two-year long postponement, before bringing the event live again in 2022.

“Last year we had approximately 1300 people attend and the hope is to hit 2000 this year.”

The main draw is the bull riding, and being a PBR event means the arena will see some of the best bull riding on a local stage during the highly sanctioned event. In addition to the main event, this year’s festivities will also feature wild pony racing for young cowboys and cowgirls. Organizers are hoping to see eight teams of three ranging in age from 7-13, with entries opening on July 5.

The event has formerly been sponsored by the Butte-based business Putsy’s Manure Hauling, however after the tragic passing of Putsy’s owner, Craig Sosick earlier this year, Dennis’s Dirtworx of Coaldale has stepped up as the title sponsor for the 2023 event which has been named, “The Craig Sosick Memorial PBR presented by Dennis’s Dirtworx.”

The DeBolts said the loss has had an immense impact on the community, “The community of Picture Butte and surrounding area was robbed far too early of an incredible man, Craig Sosick. He was an incredible father, husband, and friend to everyone he met including us at Voltage Productions. Without him, our event would have never been as successful as it was and for that we will be forever grateful for his generosity and the friendship we had. In honour of his passing.”

Chantele added, “Craig donated so much for the event last year including his cooler truck, the bus, he was our naming sponsor and he had a bunch of his employees come give us a hand setting everything up the morning of.”

The 2022 event pulled out a ton of stops, when the organizers were able to secure an F-18 fighter jet to do a flyover during the grand entrance. Chantele said the team is working on something similar for the upcoming event and will know about one week out.

In addition to on-site beer gardens, and late night cabaret, the venue will also be hosting local food trucks and have partnered with various local businesses.

The Sosick family was known for their generosity in many circles. In the summer of 2022, the Sosick family organized a fundraising event at Putsy’s Manure Hauling Ltd., to raise funds for Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) as a gesture of appreciation after the foundation provided supports to Craig and his wife, Jacqueline when their daughter was born 15 weeks premature. The fundraising event raised $162,000 for RMHC.

Tickets for this year’s July 8 event are on sale now and available at North County Liquor and Western Stockmans.