(Centre photo courtesy Alberta Sport Hall of Fame)

By Josh Hall and Sheldon Spackman

lovingly remembered

Cowboy, auctioneer, father: Jack Daines passes away at 85

Dec 31, 2021 | 1:00 PM

A central Alberta legend has passed away.

Jack Daines, who passed on Dec. 28, was 85.

Daines was the man in charge of the Innisfail Auction Market from 1967 to 2015, before relinquishing some duties to his son Duane’s family.

He is survived by many loving family members, including Duane, two daughters, and wife Audrey, to whom he was married for over 60 years.

Speaking to rdnewsNOW, Duane says his father’s whole generation was about hard work, and Jack embodied that.

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“When he was young, he always wanted to be a cowboy. He was born to be a cowboy,” says Duane, whose family has been ranching, running cattle and in the agriculture business for many decades.

“In 1955, his father and a couple partners started the Innisfail Auction Market, and that’s been family-owned since ‘67. He built that up along with other good families throughout central Alberta, all to help market others’ cattle and promote the cattle industry.”

As much as he loved being a cowboy, however, Jack got the work done at home, says Duane.

“Family was a big part of his life. He came from a big one, with six other brothers,” he says.

“Home life is maybe why he didn’t get the chance, like myself, to go full-time in the rodeo business, but he always worked hard. He was old school, but always wanted to help out people, the community, and do fundraisers. Jack received all kinds of awards over the decades, and those are great, but he was just glad to help people. That was his whole life.”

In 2009, Daines was inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame (ASHoF) in the builder category.

“When you hear the name Jack Daines, it’s usually followed by the word rodeo! Jack was defined as an individual who has made a significant, unique, and lasting contribution to sport in their community, province of Alberta, and on the international level,” says Tracey Kinsella, ASHoF executive director.

“Like many young cowboys, Jack began his love affair with the sport competing in boys steer riding. In 1961 at the top of his riding career, he built the Daines Ranch Rodeo grounds. It was at this rodeo Jack introduced mutton bustin’, an event that can now be seen at rodeos around the world.”

Jack was also instrumental in developing the Alberta Professional Rodeo circuit, Kinsella notes.

What Duane says he’s most proud of when thinking of his dad is just that: the father he was.

“He was a good dad all the way through, and always supported us. He’d never be one to tell you how to do something. From my early days until now, that’s never changed,” says Duane.

“People have probably seen his rough edges, and if they didn’t really know him, they wouldn’t have seen how very compassionate he was. When people were down on their luck, he’d lend a helping hand with lots of things.”

His legacy, Duane pauses, comes back to his hard work.

“Whatever he did, and we try to carry this on too, but when a cattle came across the ring to be sold, he knew that what he was doing or saying could dictate that person’s biggest or maybe only cheque of the year,” Duane recalls.

“He wanted to always be on his best, the bottom line being that you want to get top dollar. You can’t really change the market, but when a guy sees his hard work from the entire year being sold, they knew Jack was doing the best he could to get all he could. That’s all you can do in life is try your best.”

Plans for a formal celebration of life haven’t yet been formalized.