Person:Clarence Watrin (2)

Obituary from unknown, undated newspaper - Maybe Penticton, B.C. Canada Watrin: Mr. Clarence (Slim) Watrin, beloved husband of Mrs. Nina Watrin of Penticton, B.C., passed away on February 21, 1988 at the age of 86 years. Mass of the Christian Burial will be celebrated by Reverand Fr. Clarence Watrin and Reverand Fr. Clement St. Jacques in St. John Vianney Catholic church at 10:00 p.m. (probably should read a.m.)Wednesday, February 24, 1988, followed by interment in Lakeview Cemetery. Prayers will be recited in the church at 8:00 p.m. Tuesday evening. Besides his loving wife Nina, Mr. Watrin is survived by 2 sons, Reverend Fr. Clarence Watrin of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and Michael Watrin of Vancouver, B.C.; 1 daughter Mrs. Dorothy Didow of Grande Cache, Alberta; 7 grandchildren and 2 great granddaughters; 1 brother, Lawrence Watrin of High River, Alberta; 3 sisters, Mrs. Margaret Howery of Millet, Alberta, Mrs. Pearl Bews of Calgary, Alberta, and Mrs. Vera Martens of High River, Alberta. Mr. Watrin was a well known Rodeo rider in Canada and the U.S.A. He was the 11th inductee into the Canadian Cowboy Hall of Fame. He was a veteran of WW2 and a member of the Royal Canadian Legion. Branch Number 40, Penticton, B.C. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Penticton Funeral Chapel.

Obituary write-up from unknown, undated newspaper

 "The lean lad started out as Clarence Watrin, but the day he showed up at

his first rodeo some cowboy took one look at him and gave him a new handle that stuck with him the rest of his life.

  Small wonder: Slim Watrin was six foot tall and weighed 110 lbs. when he began

riding wild horses back in 1918. He was one of the best.

  Watrin rode at the 1923 Stampede; he came in forth in saddle bronc.  It's a

tough contest, but it was tougher then. "In those days," he once recalled, "we used a regular stock saddle with the horn that punched you in the stomach quite often. Today's saddles don't have that."

  Watrin picked up plenty of prizes (including the '28 international bucking

horse trophy and that year's world championship at the stampede). His rodeo days ended abruptly when a horse reared in the shute at a Sundre rodeo; Watrin's leg, broken in two places, took more then a year to heal.

  Slim was one of the first of the originals to be inducted into the Canadian

Rodeo Hall of Fame in 1984, the old cowboy died last Sunday at his retirement home in Penticton at the grand age of 86, leaving behind a large family that retains strong ties with the west."

Funeral Card information states:

                       Clarence Watrin

Beloved husband of Mrs. Nina Watrin, Penticton, B.C.

                          Passed Away
    February 24, 1901, Penticton, B.C.
                          Service
  10:00 a.m. - Wednesday, February 24, 1988

St. John Vianney Catholic Church, Penticton, B.C.

                         Officiants

Rev. Fr. Clarence Watrin, Rev. Fr. Clement St. Jacques

                         Interment
              Lakeview Cemetery

SPITZEE DAYS by Bert Sheppard Printed in Calgary 62, Alberta, Canada (No date) Page 259 THE RODEO BOYS

  There were quite a few boys from High River following the rodeo circuit in the 1920's.  Big Jack MacDonald contested after being dischardged from the army.  His brother Don and George McIntosh, a native son, traveled with the Watrin boys for many years.  They lived north-west of High River.  Frank Sharp and Burt Pasegate gave their address as High River.  Don MacDonald won the bareback riding in Calgary in 1924, and Frank Sharp won the steer riding in 1929.  It's my recollection that Pasegate won the bareback riding at the Macleod Jubilee show.  George McIntosh won the bronc riding and the bareback in Montreal in 1926.
  The Watrin family came from the U.S. A. in 1909 and settled on a farm eight miles north-west of High River.  After leaving school, Slim, the eldest, was soon bronc riding, to be folllowed in turn by Eddie, Leo, and Lawrence.  During the years that they contested, the Watrin boys became famous in the rodeo world.  In 1926 the Great West Saddlery had a tree manufactured that they called the Watrin Tree.
  Slim won the saddle bronc riding at Ottawa in 1926, and the North American championship at Calgary in 1928.
  Eddie, a colorful performer, won many small rodeos, and in 1925 at Edmonton, on the first day of the show, Ed rode Midnight, one of the great bucking horses of all time, to win the day money.
  Leo won the Canadian champioship in 1928 at Calgary, and made the highest point ride of the show, and his record held for many years.  Leo was killed in a car accident at the age of twenty-four.
  Lawrence, the youngest boy, who very kindly gave me the data on his brothers, followed in their footsteps, and his many accomplishments in rodeo and motion picture making unfortunately took place at a time that is out of the realm of this book.  Today he is one of the solid citizens of the High River District.

ALBERTA WAS MY BEAT By Fred Kennery "Memoirs of a Western Newspaperman" Produced by The Albertan 1975 Page 139-140 Chapter Twelve GOLD ON THE RODEO TRAIL

  A 24 year old cowboy from High River, C.H. "Slim" Watrin won first money of $1,500 in the saddle bronc riding contest at this show.  "Slim" was the first of the riding Watrins to appear on the rodeo circuit.  His brothers Eddie, Leo, and Lawrence were top Men in the saddle, but an unfortunate automobile accident just outside of Calgary took the life of young Leo just as he was beginning to make a name for himself in open competition.