Featuring Bullfighters Brett Monea, Ty Prescott and Tanner Byrne.

The 89th Ponoka Stampede pays tribute to the matadors of rodeo, with a Limited Edition Souvenir Poster featuring legendary bullfighters Brett Monea, Tanner Byrne and Ty Prescott. The original artwork by renowned western artist Donna King captures the talented trio doing what they do best – distracting the powerful bull so the cowboy can safely scramble away, in front of the iconic PS red chutes. Bullfighting is a dangerous job, and this year the Ponoka Stampede salutes these rodeo heroes with both the poster and the parade theme.

Monea grew up near Wetaskiwin, and has been fighting bulls at Ponoka since 2014, in addition to protecting cowboys at the CFR (13 times), and at the PBR Canada Finals. Prescott started in steer riding and then bull riding, before switching to bullfighting, and he’s also been at Ponoka since 2014, as well as six times at the CFR. Byrne, coming to his third Ponoka Stampede, competed at the highest levels in professional bull riding before he made the call to carry on the bullfighting legacy his father, brothers and cousins all pursued.

The poster was painted by Alberta’s own Donna King. After spending her childhood on a farm just outside of Edmonton, Donna resettled near Leduc. Her love for horses was evident at an early age as she worked on pencil sketches for her mother. Her attraction to vibrant color led her to oil painting. For many years she had sold-out shows at the Ponoka Stampede Art Show. Donna only paints about four or five pieces per year, with her work popular in Canada, the USA, and Japan.

The original painting will be auctioned off at the 89th Ponoka Stampede Showdown on July 1st to the highest bidder. This is your chance to own a piece of the Ponoka Stampede’s history. A limited edition of 50 prints have been produced and are being sold for $50. Prints will be on sale April 1st to April 6th at the Jones Boys Saddlery locations in Ponoka or Red Deer, online at PonokaStampede.com or through the rodeo office at (403) 783-3120. The 89th Ponoka Stampede is June 25-July 1st.