Henry looks for a successful 1997

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He bombs around in his silver and red '92 Dodge three-quarter ton, tearing all over the country from one rodeo to another in western Canada and some parts of the States. Last year, he was happy to win the Saskatchewan circuit, especially since he lost some premium time due to injuries.

Saddle bronc rider Shawn Henry, formerly of Williams Lake, B.C., may as well be considered an Albertan now. For the past couple of years he's made Alberta his home. He now lives in Wainwright, which happens to be where one of his favorite rodeos occurs.

And, he's got double cause to live in that part of the country. After all, that's where his girlfriend, barrel racer Rhonda Cocks, lives.

The past season's been kind of round on Henry who missed all of July ? the time when most rodeos happen ? due to torn knee ligaments. He got a bit restless and tried to wear a couple of braces at Strathmore, where he was bucked off. He said that he had trouble spurring his horses with a brace so, he took it off.

He entered a rodeo at Jasper and got second, but it was already "too late to catch up to the leaders in order to qualify for the Canadian Finals Rodeo" in the fall. A good ride at Luxton, B.C., gave him another win.

However, no sooner did he get his act together when he came apart. In mid-August he entered at Pincher Creek and wound up tearing the rotator cuff out of his right shoulder which, he maintained, "Its still bothering me."

Right now, he's taking it a little easy, working around home, buying a few head of cattle and preparing for the spring and summer tour of the rodeo circuit. That will be Camrose, Medicine Hat and Calgary's Rodeo Royal. As for his favorites, he always looks forward to riding Wainwright, Marwayne, Ponoka, Sundre, Innisfail and Williams Lake. They're his stompin' grounds, so to speak. As for livestock, he claims to get pretty good results from the likes of Vern Franklin's herds. A couple of others he'd love to draw include Calgary's Papa Smurf and a new one called Zorro's Bandit, which performed well at the 1996 CFR. That horse won Rod Warren a truck, explained Henry.

Henry hopes to be fit and ready by the time the spring rolls around. Just how well or poorly he does will then determine whether he rides some of the United States circuit, because earnings from placing in the spring rodeos dictate that sort of thing. Last year, he toured Oakdale, California, Logandale, Nevada, and Cheyenne, Wymoing, but did not fare well. In all, he thinks he entered around 40 rodeos.