Exchange student gets to horse around with Fraser

Read this short article:

CRYSTAL RHYNO – Herald-Tribune staff

Chuckwagon driver Rick Fraser gave Felix Ramadori, 17, some last-minute advice.

If the wagon starts to tip, the exchange student from Austria was told to stand on the turning side, put his foot on the edge and jump off.

Thankfully, Ramadori didn’t have to act on the advice.

“You don’t realize how fast and rough it is,” said Ramadori, moments after his whirl around the track. “It was pretty scary.”

To get a last taste of Canadian culture before he heads back to Europe in July, Ramadori had the opportunity to take a spin around the track in a chuckwagon with the World Professional Chuckwagon Association driver. His host family – Darcy and Tracey Halwa – is related to Fraser, so the Peace Wapiti Academy student lucked out.

Sue Fraser, Rick’s wife said showing kids such as Felix what the rodeo life is all about is rewarding.

“That’s part of what we like to do is give people or kids the opportunity to come and take part,” said Fraser, who lives in Wetaskiwin but is originally from Grande Prairie. “Another program we are part of is the 4-H Mentorship Program, where kids come in at each stop and different drivers will take one in and give them the opportunity to stay with us for the few days and see what we do.”

Ramadori arrived in Grande Prairie last August as part of the Rotary exchange program sponsored by the Sunrise Rotary Club of Grande Prairie. He wanted to come to Canada to experience “a real winter,” which he said was both “cold” and “long.”

With winter finally out of sight, Ramadori jumped at the chance at getting first-hand experience in his first rodeo.

“I am a city kid,” he laughed. “Back in Austria, I live in Vienna. It’s a 1.5-million people city. It’s quite different. I saw bullriding on TV but I have never seen wagon races. It’s pretty cool.”

Ramadori was a little nervous about riding in the wagon. But in the end he said, “it was awesome.”