MELFORT — Melfort hosted its first-ever Professional Bull Riders (PBR) event on May 31, raising $60,000 for three local organizations.
On social media, Ripley Ford said, “We were honoured to make cheque presentations totalling $60,000 to three organizations that benefited from your kind and generous support of the recent Ripley Rumble PBR Charity Event.”
The recipients were Melfort Fire and Rescue, the North Central Care Foundation and Youth Matter. A special matching donation of $30,000 was made by Malcolm Jenkins, a well-known philanthropist and business owner in the region.
Youth Matter, a Saskatchewan-based non-profit focused on youth mental health and wellness in Melfort, said, “We are deeply grateful to have been selected as one of the three community organizations receiving the proceeds from the event. It was so great to see so many community members out enjoying a night of fun.”
Mark Ripley, owner of Ripley Ford, said he hopes to host the event again, calling its debut a success. The winner of the bull riding event was Aaron Roy, a well-known Canadian bull rider from Yellow Grass.
Saskatchewan has produced several top bull riders on the PBR circuit, including Aaron Roy, a three-time Canadian champion and the all-time Canadian money leader in PBR history. He’s also one of the few Canadians to compete regularly on the PBR’s elite tours in the United States.
