Chase Dougherty’s “fairy-tale story” can be attributed to the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.
The life of Texas bull rider Chase Dougherty has been changed by the Calgary Stampede. Not so much in the wallet … yet.
But most definitely in finding a lifelong companion and beginning a family, with a young child named Calgary and him.
“My wife, Kara, and I met here in 2019,” Dougherty exclaimed, beaming as he related their happy union. The cowboy went on, “The Stampede is what brought us together.”
“She was an intern doing sports medicine here, just lounging and observing.” At the time, I was wearing a shoulder brace, and I went to work every day. But I was hesitant and couldn’t convince her to assist me. I would just go for a large, hairy guy.
Dougherty grabbed some destiny on a night out to another legendary city venue, albeit his courage wasn’t nearly as great as when he’s getting on beastly creatures.
“That’s actually where it all started,” Dougherty remarked, grinning. Officially, that is where we first met.
She’s a gorgeous girl, so I was hesitant to approach her at the Stampede. It was just my luck that she was at Ranchman’s hanging out with some pals
“It was fate — pretty crazy.”
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Actually, Kara, who is from Southern California, was the one who started things off, but even now Dougherty isn’t certain if she did it knowingly or unknowingly.
Dougherty remarked, “I told the other girl where the bathroom was when she asked me.” “Kara must have noticed it since she approached me and inquired about the location of the restroom.
“I said, ‘I’m going to get her,’ at that point,” Dougherty went on. I told her, ‘If you come back and dance with me, I’ll tell you where the bathroom is,’ but I didn’t think she would. It turns out that she did, and the rest is history.
Your daily lunchtime digest of carefully chosen resources, news highlights, commentary, and features. Eleven months later, we tied the knot. Then, nine months after we were married, we welcomed our first child, whom we named Calgary in honor of the city where we originally met.
“This is where it all started for us.”
On this trip to Calgary, the couple is not accompanied by Calgary, the child. The two-year-old is currently back at his Texas home. “We intended to include him,” Dougherty stated.
However, he has a fiery temper, so we weren’t sure how he would handle the long, sweltering days with the sun directly in his face. And we truly wanted to take pleasure in our alone time here and remember how we first came to be here. So we made the decision to let Grandma have him.
“And hopefully in the coming years, I can continue kicking butt riding bulls and return, and he can come along and appreciate it more as he gets older.”
So far, so good in the kicking-butt department …
At least on the bulls at this Stampede.
During the opening round of Pool C on Thursday, Dougherty rode Smoke Bomb to a brilliant 87.5 points and win, earning $9,083.
On Friday, he gained another $2,200 after sticking aboard Toothless Smile for a 77.5. JR Stratford, a rancher from Kansas, won on Friday with an 88 on Smart as a Rock.
A ride in the pool’s last round on Saturday could put Dougherty in position for Showdown on Sunday. Win or lose, he probably has a trip to Ranchmen’s scheduled for the next few evenings.
Dougherty continued, “It’s our place, and it works either way (for celebration or to drown our sorrows).
But it is, after all, my narrative of a fairy tale. It has always been my dream to be able to ride bulls, get a gold buckle, and enjoy my family’s company while doing so.
“God’s really blessed us.”
So has Calgary.
ORIN ON TOP
Orin Larsen, bareback standout from Manitoba, is a former Stampede player. He estimates nine or ten times. “Fortunately for me, Calgary has seen a lot of me,” the Inglis, Man product remarked. However, the large check hasn’t arrived yet.
Reached near several times. I’m hoping that this is the year. It might just be if he rides like he did on Friday. On Day 2 of Pool C competition, Larsen led Barcelona City to 88 points and the $7,000 first-place payout.
After two rounds, it has placed the Canadian, who has competed frequently in the National Finals Rodeo, in second place among the bareback stars.
Of course, the top four money collectors move on to Showdown Sunday, where Larsen is sure to have the support of supporters behind him.
“You wager your ass.” Larsen continued, “Manitoba is aware of and incredibly fond of the Calgary Stampede. “I’m appreciative of my large fan base in Manitoba. In Manitoba, there is rodeo.
