by Gordon and Belle Hall
Norman Frank Edge was born in the Brushy Ridge district, one of a family of eight – six boys and two girls. In the year that Norman was born, his father Wm. H. Edge was showing Clydesdale horses at the Territorial Spring Show in Calgary and won with a Clyde stallion named Redburn. N.F. grew up with ranching and grew to love horses. He was raking hay for his father when he was eight years old.
As teenagers, Norman and brother Ollie joined other boys in the district to develop their skills riding at the local stampedes. During the winters of 1925-26, Norman broke polo ponies and remounts for D.P. MacDonald at the Mount Royal Ranch. In 1922 and 1923, Norman and Ollie took in the Jumping Pound stampedes as well as other rodeos. The lure of the big o took them to Calgary in 1924. In 1925 Norman got lucky and won the brahma steer riding and bareback bronc riding events. In 1925 Norman went to the west coast with the Peter Welsh Stampede Co. In 1927 N.F. won the steer riding event again. In 1928 he won the bareback bronc riding and gained permanent possession of a sterling silver trophy donated by Calgary Brewing and Malting Co.
In 1929 a team consisting of Johnny Munro, Ollie Edge and Norman won the wild horse race in Calgary. In the years from 1923 to 1937, when Norman Edge retired, he had competed in rodeos at Jumping Pound, Calgary, Montreal, Columbus, Ohio, Sundre, Hand Hills, Toronto, Pendleton, Oregon, White City Stadium in London, England, Winnipeg, New Westminister, Vancouver, Medicine Hat, Ottawa, Buffalo, New York, Chicago and many others. Rodeo promoters of the day included Guy Weadick, Tex Austin and Peter Welsh.
Norman was present in 1925 at New Westminister when Bara Lad, trained by my father Syd Hall and owned by Peter Welsh jumped 8 feet 172 inches to a new high jump record. In 1940 Norman and Claudia Lynn were married. Claudia was the second of six children and was born near Suffield Alberta. Claudia Edge has a noted teaching career, teaching at Jumping Pound, Springbank and Cochrane junior-senior high and was a very talented and respected teacher. Claudia and Norman have three sons: Garth, Barry and Lynn.
During the 1974 Calgary Stampede, Norman, together with Eddie Watrin and Pete Vandermeer was honoured as old-time cowboys. Each was presented with a framed picture and Silver cufflinks. The inscription reads: “Norman Edge in appreciation for your contribution to rodeo, Calgary Exhibition and Stampede 1974.” Norman and Claudia are both retired now and spend their winters in Arizona. Truly good friends and a fine couple to all.
From A Peep into the Past, A Collection of Historic Poems and Short Stories by Gordon and Belle Hall Vol. II
Norman Edge was inducted into the Canadian Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame in 1983
