Bull rider heralded as ‘up-and-coming star’ dies during weekend rodeo near Calgary

CALGARY – A bull rider heralded as a promising star on the Indigenous rodeo circuit has died during a competition in southern Alberta.

Reg Fountain, emergency management director for the Stoney Nakoda Nation west of Calgary, says 19-year-old Seth Saulteaux died Sunday during a qualifier for the Indian National Finals Rodeo.

Fountain says Saulteaux suffered a traumatic injury to his head while bull riding and, although he was able to walk off from the arena, he collapsed and couldn’t be revived by paramedics.

Fountain says Saulteaux had been wearing a helmet during the competition and followed other safety protocols.

He says Saulteaux was from the Maskwacis area south of Edmonton but had recently been living on the Tsuut’ina Nation near Calgary.

The Indian National Finals Rodeo, which sanctions rodeos in the United States and Canada, posted a message of condolence to Saulteax’s family on Facebook, calling him “a dedicated bull rider” and “an up-and-coming star in the INFR circuit.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 4, 2023.