
Dwayne Erickson
Bell Memorial - Inducted 2008
Dwayne Erickson started as a journalist in Penticton, B.C. in January 1957 after attending the University of British Columbia with the dream of becoming a meteorologist. The lure of writing drew him down a different path. The Edmonton Journal hired him in September of 1957 and the following spring he was assigned to cover his first professional rodeo. Erickson was immediately attracted to the cowboy lifestyle; rodeo became his sport of choice.
He has written about rodeo every year since except from 1974 through 1978 when he served as manager of media relations for Edmonton’s Commonwealth games organizing committee. His career took him to the Winnipeg Free Press in 1959, back to the Journal in 1962 and CBC Edmonton in 1967, where he covered news stories for radio and television. After completing his Commonwealth contract, Dwayne joined the Edmonton Sun as a desk editor in sports in 1979, moved to the Calgary Sun in the same role in 1982, and became a contract rodeo columnist for the Calgary Herald in 2001. He has covered every Canadian Finals Rodeo since 1979, every Calgary Stampede since 1982 and every National Finals Rodeo at Las Vegas since 1985.
During his journalistic career of 50 years, he has written about all sports – from cricket, water skiing and golf to badminton, equestrian events, basketball and hockey. He is considered an outstanding writer, brilliant copy editor and is probably the best-informed rodeo journalist in the industry.
“Cowboys are honest, considerate people who have the greatest sense of community I have ever seen; it makes me so proud of this sport” said Erickson. “Rodeo is a life teacher.”
Erickson was honored as a Pioneer of Rodeo by the Calgary Stampede in 1997 and was inducted into the Canadian Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame in 2003.
After Induction
Dwayne Ericson received the 2012 Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association Media Award for Excellence in Print Journalism, for the second time in his career. Only two other people have won this award more than once. The award was presented during the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas in December. Erickson, who didn’t make the trip to the NFR in 2012, had a fellow reporter receive the award on his behalf.
At the 2016 Calgary Stampede, Dwayne Erickson was posthumously honoured by the media and Calgary Stampede board as they renamed the South Media Press Box the "Dwayne Erickson Media Suite".
Time line:
1997 - honoured as a Pioneer of Rodeo by the Calgary Stampede in 1997.
2003 - Canadian Rodeo Hall of Fame
2008 - Alberta Sports Hall of Fame
2012 – PRCA media award - Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association Media Award for Excellence in Print Journalism 2013 - Dwayne passed away April 22,
2013 – after a long battle with cancer (not sure if it was the 15th or 22nd) KL Articles were written on Tue 23, saying he passed away on Monday. (one says April 15.)
2016 - The Calgary Stampede renamed the South Media Press Box the "Dwayne Erickson Media Suite."

