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Local wins the 2019 Ponoka Stampede Cattle Raffle

Says taking the cash “tough decision”
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Brian ‘Bo’ DeLeeuw of Bashaw is the winner of the 2019 Ponoka Stampede Cattle Raffle. DeLeew chose to take the cash. Pictured here is left, Ponoka Stampede Association director Tyler Fessler presenting a cheque for $70,000.

A Ponoka County farmer is the winner of the 2019 Ponoka Stampede Cattle Raffle.

Brian “Bo” DeLeeuw operates a fourth-generation family farm on the east end of Ponoka County, near Bashaw.

READ MORE: Fourth generation farm celebrates 100 years

After some hard deliberation, DeLeeuw decided to take the money rather than the heifers.

“It was a hard decision to take the cash,” he said, stressing the only reason he did was because his cow/calf operation is of red cattle.

The 40 pasture bred cattle in the raffle were black Angus and wouldn’t have fit into his current program.

DeLeeuw is grateful to win the raffle though, as it’s been a tough two years of drought.

“It’s great. I really needed the money this year,” said DeLeeuw. “It will help catch up with payments by taking the cash.”

DeLeeuw’s father bought him and his wife four tickets in total, for Christmas and for their birthdays.

DeLeeuw says he’s always had tickets for the raffle since it started, but this was the first time his was ever drawn.

Each year, the stampede holds a raffle. The winning ticket holder has their choice of 40 pasture bred heifers or $70,000 in cash.

READ MORE: One lucky raffle winner can choose between 40 bred heifers or $70,000

Ponoka Stampede Association director Tyler Fessler presented the $70,000 cheque to DeLeeuw on July 4.



Emily Jaycox

About the Author: Emily Jaycox

I’m Emily Jaycox, the editor of Ponoka News and the Bashaw Star. I’ve lived in Ponoka since 2015 and have over seven years of experience working as a journalist in central Alberta communities.
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