Rodeo

Ray Woods opens gates in the rough stock events at the Williams Lake Stampede, seen here in July 2023 at the 95th Annual Williams Lake Stampede. (Angie Mindus photo - Williams Lake Tribune)

CASUAL COUNTRY: Always a cowboy

Former bullrider, current rodeo volunteer Ray Woods

 

Spectators are welcome and admission is free at the upcoming BCRA finals Sept. 15, 16 and 17 in Williams Lake. (Angie Mindus photo - WIlliams Lake Tribune)

BC Barrel Racers Association finals coming up in Williams Lake

Events get underway Friday, Sept 15 at 8 a.m. and go all day Saturday and Sunday as well

 

Gracelyn Poffenroth and her paint horse Peanut eye the 2nd barrel as they prepare to make the turn to the third during the Williams Lake Little Britches Rodeo. Gracelyn will be competing at the Riske Creek Little Britches Rodeo July 29 and 30. (Liz Twan photo)

Riske Creek Little Britches Rodeo welcomes spectators July 29, 30

‘It’s where they get their start in rodeo,’ said committee member Caterina Poffenroth

Gracelyn Poffenroth and her paint horse Peanut eye the 2nd barrel as they prepare to make the turn to the third during the Williams Lake Little Britches Rodeo. Gracelyn will be competing at the Riske Creek Little Britches Rodeo July 29 and 30. (Liz Twan photo)
Will Roberts throws his loop during Tie-Down Roping at the Esk’et Rodeo on July 23, 2022. The Esk’et Rodeo takes place this weekend July 22 and 23. (Ruth Lloyd photo - Williams Lake Tribune)

Esk’et Rodeo ready to welcome competitors, spectators July 22, 23

‘We have more local entries than we have ever had’: rodeo committee member Liz Twan

Will Roberts throws his loop during Tie-Down Roping at the Esk’et Rodeo on July 23, 2022. The Esk’et Rodeo takes place this weekend July 22 and 23. (Ruth Lloyd photo - Williams Lake Tribune)
Braidey Hinsche of 150 Mile House competes in girls barrel racing at the Little Britches Rodeo held at the Williams Lake Stampede Grounds July 23 and 24, 2022. (Liz Twan photo)

Williams Lake Little Britches Rodeo ready to roll July 22, 23

Children will be coming from around B.C. for the popular event

Braidey Hinsche of 150 Mile House competes in girls barrel racing at the Little Britches Rodeo held at the Williams Lake Stampede Grounds July 23 and 24, 2022. (Liz Twan photo)
<em>The Rodeo Women: Behind the Scenes</em> crew films at the 71st annual Bridge Lake Stampede. (Patrick Davies photo - 100 Mile Free Press)

Bridge Lake Stampede to be featured in rodeo documentary

The documentary focuses on the role women play in rodeos

<em>The Rodeo Women: Behind the Scenes</em> crew films at the 71st annual Bridge Lake Stampede. (Patrick Davies photo - 100 Mile Free Press)
Darcy Lazzarin of Williams Lake rides the Ferris wheel with Billy Barker. The Billy Barker Days Society and Shooting Star Amusements offer free Ferris wheel rides to seniors for one hour each Billy Barker Days kickoff to honour Gloria Lazzarin, Darcy’s mother, a former Quesnel councillor and Cariboo Regional District director and former Citizen of the Year, who passed away in 2019. Gloria Lazzarin, the 2015 Honorary Parade Marshall for Billy Barker Days, would ride the Ferris wheel every year, and this ride in her honour is the kick-off for Seniors’ Day in the Park at this year’s festival. (Black Press file photo)

July 13-16 it’s Billy Barker Days again in Quesnel

One of the Cariboo’s premier summer events returns

Darcy Lazzarin of Williams Lake rides the Ferris wheel with Billy Barker. The Billy Barker Days Society and Shooting Star Amusements offer free Ferris wheel rides to seniors for one hour each Billy Barker Days kickoff to honour Gloria Lazzarin, Darcy’s mother, a former Quesnel councillor and Cariboo Regional District director and former Citizen of the Year, who passed away in 2019. Gloria Lazzarin, the 2015 Honorary Parade Marshall for Billy Barker Days, would ride the Ferris wheel every year, and this ride in her honour is the kick-off for Seniors’ Day in the Park at this year’s festival. (Black Press file photo)
Joy MacKay and crew from the Bella Coola Rodeo Association are at the grounds Saturday, June 24 prepping for the upcoming rodeo. (Monica Lamb-Yorski photo - Williams Lake Tribune)

Volunteers prepping for the 36th Bella Coola Rodeo

Volunteers are getting excited for the 36th Bella Coola Rodeo, taking place…

Joy MacKay and crew from the Bella Coola Rodeo Association are at the grounds Saturday, June 24 prepping for the upcoming rodeo. (Monica Lamb-Yorski photo - Williams Lake Tribune)
Williams Lake Stampede president Court Smith, left, and Brad McKinnon, Williams Lake RCMP Staff Sgt. acting officer in charge have been collaborating on a public safety plan for the upcoming rodeo, June 29 through July 2, 2023. (Monica Lamb-Yorski photo - Williams Lake Tribune)

RCMP, Stampede president share security plans for 2023 Williams Lake Stampede

Last year a shooting took place during the final hours of the rodeo

Williams Lake Stampede president Court Smith, left, and Brad McKinnon, Williams Lake RCMP Staff Sgt. acting officer in charge have been collaborating on a public safety plan for the upcoming rodeo, June 29 through July 2, 2023. (Monica Lamb-Yorski photo - Williams Lake Tribune)
Julia Bowden and her trusty steed cut around the barrels at the northern region’s zone championships for high school rodeo, held at Alex Fraser Park. (Karen Powell photo)

Quesnel home to high school rodeo championships

The zones were the appetizer for this weekend’s Junior provincials

Julia Bowden and her trusty steed cut around the barrels at the northern region’s zone championships for high school rodeo, held at Alex Fraser Park. (Karen Powell photo)
It was boots and chaps and cowboy hats and the roar of the weekend crowd, this past Saturday and Sunday at Alex Fraser Park. The northern region’s young rodeo athletes competed for spots in the upcoming provincial championships. Those, too will be hosted in Quesnel. The Junior athletes (Grades 6-8) compete May 20-22 and the Senior athletes (Grades 9-12) compete June 8-10, and they are in need of wildly applauding audiences, like the ones who cheered for Clinton’s Cade Allison seen here in his steer wrestling event. (Karen Powell photo)

They call the thing high school rodeo

Athletes Grades 6-12 competed in Quesnel for zone rodeo championships

It was boots and chaps and cowboy hats and the roar of the weekend crowd, this past Saturday and Sunday at Alex Fraser Park. The northern region’s young rodeo athletes competed for spots in the upcoming provincial championships. Those, too will be hosted in Quesnel. The Junior athletes (Grades 6-8) compete May 20-22 and the Senior athletes (Grades 9-12) compete June 8-10, and they are in need of wildly applauding audiences, like the ones who cheered for Clinton’s Cade Allison seen here in his steer wrestling event. (Karen Powell photo)
Aspiring Quesnel rodeo star Jaxen Kirk learns the bucking trade at Matt O'Flynn's roughstock school. (Karen Powell photo)

Quesnel’s school of hard bucks

Matt O’Flynn’s roughstock school wrangled 27 riders

Aspiring Quesnel rodeo star Jaxen Kirk learns the bucking trade at Matt O'Flynn's roughstock school. (Karen Powell photo)
Bullriding at the 2023 Indoor Spring Classic Rodeo Saturday, April 15. (Angie Mindus photo - Williams Lake Tribune)
Bullriding at the 2023 Indoor Spring Classic Rodeo Saturday, April 15. (Angie Mindus photo - Williams Lake Tribune)
Under the ropin' instructin' of Jaxen Kirk, hockey fans at West Fraser Centre got to try their greenhorn hand at lassoing a (stationary) steer. During the second intermission of the March 31 Coy Cup playoff game, the Quesnel Rodeo Club took Avery Fulton, Penelope Luff and Carmen Mackenzie out for a twirl. (Frank Peebles photo - Quesnel Cariboo Observer)

O! lass, that’s a lasso

Centre ice steer gets roped

Under the ropin' instructin' of Jaxen Kirk, hockey fans at West Fraser Centre got to try their greenhorn hand at lassoing a (stationary) steer. During the second intermission of the March 31 Coy Cup playoff game, the Quesnel Rodeo Club took Avery Fulton, Penelope Luff and Carmen Mackenzie out for a twirl. (Frank Peebles photo - Quesnel Cariboo Observer)
Brady McNolty of 150 Mile House competes in Open Barrell Friday at the Indoor Spring Classic Rodeo. (Monica Lamb-Yorski photo)
Brady McNolty of 150 Mile House competes in Open Barrell Friday at the Indoor Spring Classic Rodeo. (Monica Lamb-Yorski photo)
Eric O’Flynn, left, and Clay Gordon are up and coming bull riders training in the United States in preparation for the coming 2023 rodeo season which will begin for them at the Indoor Spring Classic Rodeo in Williams Lake April 14, 15 and 16. (Photo submitted)

Cariboo bull riders kicking off rodeo season at Indoor Spring Classic in Williams Lake

Quesnel bullriders Eric O’Flynn and Clay Gordon are training south of the border

Eric O’Flynn, left, and Clay Gordon are up and coming bull riders training in the United States in preparation for the coming 2023 rodeo season which will begin for them at the Indoor Spring Classic Rodeo in Williams Lake April 14, 15 and 16. (Photo submitted)
Tickets are on sale now for the inaugural Indoor Spring Classic Rodeo coming up April 14, 15 and 16. (Williams Lake Tribune file photo)

Expect tradition, modern twists at Indoor Spring Classic Rodeo in Williams Lake

Extra protocols will be in place to safeguard livestock, ticket sales online

Tickets are on sale now for the inaugural Indoor Spring Classic Rodeo coming up April 14, 15 and 16. (Williams Lake Tribune file photo)
The Indoor Spring Classic Rodeo will replace the Williams Lake Indoor Rodeo. (Williams Lake Tribune file photo)

Hold onto your cowboy hat; Indoor Spring Classic Rodeo set for Williams Lake

Event to replace the former Williams Lake Indoor Rodeo

  • Feb 9, 2023
The Indoor Spring Classic Rodeo will replace the Williams Lake Indoor Rodeo. (Williams Lake Tribune file photo)
The Williams Lake Indoor Rodeo will be missed. (Williams Lake Tribune file photo)

End to 30-year era: No more Williams Lake Indoor Rodeo; organizers cite lack of volunteers

Association draws the curtain on springtime rodeo

  • Jan 25, 2023
The Williams Lake Indoor Rodeo will be missed. (Williams Lake Tribune file photo)