Dusty Lane LaValley

Dusty Lane LaValley was born on May 30, 1981, in Grande Prairie, Alberta, and from his very first ride he seemed destined for the arena. At just 14 years old, he climbed aboard a horse named Detour at the Cranberry Lake Rodeo — and in those eight seconds, a lifelong passion was ignited. A natural storyteller and a self-described goofball who could make anyone laugh on their hardest day, Dusty brought that same larger-than-life spirit to everything he touched. He sharpened his craft at Western Texas College in Snyder, Texas, before bursting onto the professional circuit. In 2004, he announced himself to the wider world by winning the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association's Resistol Rookie of the Year award in bareback riding. What followed was one of the most decorated careers in Canadian rodeo history. He captured four Canadian Professional Rodeo Association Bareback Riding championships — in 2006, 2007, 2010, and 2011 — and competed in an extraordinary 13 Canadian Finals Rodeos. Twice, in 2008 and 2010, he qualified for the National Finals Rodeo, the sport's ultimate stage. At the 2008 NFR, he placed in 6 of 10 rounds and finished third in the average standings, cementing his reputation as one of the finest bareback riders Canada had ever produced. In 2010, he tied the Grande Prairie Stampede record with an 88-point ride. In 2022, he was inducted into the Canadian Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame. Beyond the arena, Dusty was a relentless builder. He co-founded Trusted Dispatch Inc. in 2015 with his brother Trevor, pioneering an online logistics platform for the heavy haul trucking industry across North America. Whether competing at the NFR or disrupting an industry, his philosophy never wavered: "If you believe you are a champion, then you will be one." In 2022, Dusty was diagnosed with ALS. He faced that battle with the grit and grace that had defined every chapter of his life, continuing to inspire his community until he passed away on September 2, 2026, at age 45. He is survived by his children Austin and Vienna, his parents Bernice and Grant, and his siblings Laura, Trevor, and Amanda. He leaves behind a legacy measured not only in championship buckles, but in every person whose life he brightened with his laughter, generosity, and fearless heart.