A young cowboy from the Millarville area represented Canada during a major cow horse competition in Texas.
Levi Swales, 13, placed fifth in the World's Greatest Youth Horseman competition during the 2025 National Reined Cow Horse Association World Championships.
The championships were held last month in Fort Worth, Texas.
Levi, who turned 13 during the competition, is the youngest rider to ever make the finals and competed against youth as old as 19. On top of that, he was the only Canadian out of 49 contestants to make the final 12.
His mom, Deanne, said Levi is no stranger to the arena, but this was his first time entering the competition.
“He has been showing kind of his whole life, all 13 years,” she said. “This was his first time actually competing, going down the fence.”
The all-round event showcases four Western riding skills that a working rider and cow horse need. Competitors performed cutting, reining, steer stopping, and fence work, which involves working a cow at fairly high speed, Deanne said.
“(Levi) handled his cattle really well and was very smart about how he showed,” she said.
Levi said he was pretty nervous, but he was on his favourite horse, CD Shiner.
He celebrated his birthday during the event, but it fell during a busy day of competing.
“We had birthday cake three days later, I think, in the barn alley,” Deanne said.
At home near Millarville, Levi is on a horse at least three times per day in the winter, and five or six times per day in the summer, he said.
The young horseman plans to compete in the World's Greatest Youth Horseman next year and is following in his dad’s footsteps.
John Swales, Levi’s dad, was twice crowned the association's World’s Greatest Horseman and is a nine-time Calgary Stampede Open Bridle Champion.
