While riders are the main focus of many rodeo events, tonight's 7th annual Foothills Bucking Horse Futurity is all about emerging bucking stock.

Futurity competitions not only give insight into the training and grooming of bucking horses but also allows rodeo riders an opportunity to check out future star potential.

Jimmy Richards, founder of the Foothills Bucking Horse Futurity, says while prize money is up for grabs, the event also educates the public on how the horses are brought up. This year's event will see horses as young as two and up to age five compete.

"This year there is a two-year-old and three-year-old horse class and those horses we buck with a weighted mechanical dummy on them and when the time is up we hit a button and it all just falls off. In those younger age classes, people will see how we bring them along. Some people start training as young as yearlings but mostly when they are two or three years old. Every time they are even in a chute and being handled it's all part of their training."

While younger age classes are not mature enough for riders, the four and five-year-old age class will feature both semi-professional and professional rodeo riders as everyone competes for top scores. High ratings not only earn prize money but can lead to much bigger things.

"This event is part of a circuit whose finals are in Vegas during the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) so the best horses from these deals go down to those finals and then some are for sale there."

A lot is riding on the young stock, as top scores can potentially lead them to be picked up by some of the most elite and professional rodeos.

While futurity events are not as well known in Canada compared to south of the border, Richards hopes it provides a sneak peek into the training of horses pre-rodeo. "It's insight into how we progress these horses along and shows they are not wild nor do we do anything to them. We don't train them to buck, we train them to get used to what's going on around them."

Richard's is hoping to see a number of rodeo lovers out tonight and hoping the draw of the fair helps. While the event was previously hosted at the Cochrane Lion's Rodeo grounds the partnership with the AG Society is something he is quite excited about.

"I think it will expose it to more people then it has before, and while they may be up there for other things they might come check it out."

If you would like to check out the unique event, you can purchase tickets HERE, Tony's Western Wear, The Venue, Dry Cleaning By Dave or at the gate for an additional cost. The 7th annual Foothills Bucking Horse Futurity kicks off at 6 bells tonight (Aug. 17).