Haddli Kornas.
POWASSAN – Who says bull riding is only a man’s game?
Certainly not 16-year-old Haddli Kornas, the Powassan girl who bucked stereotypes on Saturday at the Powassan Agricultural Society’s Fall Fair and Rodeo by tying herself off to an 800 lb steer trying to finish the longest eight-seconds in sports.
“I’ve been riding my whole life and broken horses and been bucked off before and I thought I would try the steers,” said Kornas.
She went into the chute on Saturday knowing that generally there’s only one way off one of these big animals, but knowing she had to try it.
“When it bucked me it was hard. It was a big buck. It was completely different from a horse,” said Kornas.
The Grade 11 Widdifield student has spent her summer following the rodeo circuit, making every A Bar K Rodeo with the Byers family of Powassan. Before the season ended she wanted to give steer riding a try in front of her hometown crowd.
Preparing for it Kornas got lots of advice and encouragement from the rodeo participants she’s gotten to know over the season. They gave her tips on how to sit, how to grip and what to do when the big animal starts tossing her like a rag doll.
“They told me that if you look at the ground that’s where you’ll end up,” said Kornas.
The ride didn’t last long, which is what Kornas expected considering it was her first time riding and after was more enthusiastic than before.
“I wouldn’t miss the rodeo for the world.”