Jordie Thomson
1958-2010
Jordie Kenneth Thomson never did win a Canadian championship, but he was a champion nonetheless, as a peer along the rodeo trail, and as a friend.

Remembered as kindhearted, generous and fun, Thomson rodeoed during the 1970s and 1980s on both sides of the border, competing mainly in the bull riding, although he challenged himself in both the bareback and bronc riding and finished third in the bareback riding at the Canadian Finals Rodeo (CFR) in 1976.

Thomson was born in High River, Alta. on Feb. 9, 1958 to Ken and Barb Thomson. His father, Ken, was President of the Cowboys’ Protective Association (CPA) from 1945 to 1953, the first President of what would later be named the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association (CPRA). It was pretty much a given that Thomson, along with his brothers, Kirk and Lonnie, would follow their dad and uncles into rodeo.

“It’s in my blood,” he once said, noting he learned how to ride bulls “by trial and error” and simply “by getting on.”

He started in the steer riding when he was 10 years old, competing for the first time at the High River Little Britches rodeo with the support of his parents and his uncle, Don Thomson. He got his CPRA card when he was 15, then joined the Professional Rodeo Cowboys’ Association (PRCA) at 17.

During his career, he finished among the top five bull riders in the CPRA standings five times (1975-80). He made the trip to the CFR eight times and was runner up in the Canadian bull riding championship in 1976 and 1979. He also made two trips to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (1978, 1979). In 1978, he was the top Canadian bull riding money winner. The following year, Thomson was named the Central (Alberta) Circuit champion.

While he rodeoed, Thomson lived in the Black Diamond, Alta. area, raising Hereford cattle on about 1,200 acres and training horses. He later moved to nearby Okotoks, Alta., where he continued to look after a herd of his own, while also looking after stock contractor Bruce Flewelling’s bucking horse colts. He turned to cowboy poetry and acting when rodeo injuries prevented him from continuing in competition.

A Memorial Service will be held on Friday, October 8th at 1:00 p.m. at the High River Full Gospel Tabernacle, 1802 9 Avenue Se, High River, AB.

A celebration of Jordie's life to follow at Ranchman's, 9615 Macleod Trail S, Calgary, AB