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Cowboy Times

MAY 23, 2013

Official newsletter of the BC COWBOY HERITAGE SOCIETY

Features The BC Cowboy Hall of Fame for 2013 Annual Cariboo Country Night ~ Page 3

Inductee, Larry Ramstad~ Page 3

2013 saw eight new inductees into the BC Cowboy Hall of Fame. Four in Kamloops and four in Williams Lake By Mark McMillan

Diamond D Bulls ~ Page 4

10 day Caribbean cruise ~ Page 4

* Over 100 recipients have been inducted into the BC Cowboy Hall of Fame to date. * The BC Cowboy Hall of Fame was started in 1998 * To qualify inductees must have spent the majority of their cowboy career in BC & be working cowboys or ranchers that cowboyed for themselves. * A nominee may be nominated in one or more of the following categories; Horseman, Working Cowboy, Family, Competitive Achievements, Artistic Achievements, Ranching Pioneer & Century Ranch. * Anyone can nominate a cowboy if they have a seconder - the nomination form is available at www.bcchs.com. * The Museum of the Cariboo Chilcotin in Williams Lake is home to the BC Cowboy Hall of Fame.

BC's early history was carved out of the wilderness by thousands of hard working and often forgotten cowboys. The BC Cowboy Hall of Fame was started by, and maintained by the BC Cowboy Heritage Society to capture the memories of these living legends and share their stories. A complete list of inductees, with a photo and bio of each, can be found at www.bcchs.com as well as nomination information. Memorabilia from many of the inductees can be seen in the Museum of the Cariboo Chilcotin in Williams Lake, home of the BC Cowboy Hall of Fame. 2013 saw eight new inductees - four in Kamloops and four in Williams Lake. Friday night, March 8th, the first four were recognized on main stage at the Kamloops Cowboy Festival. The Pozzobon Family was inducted in the Family category, Pooley Ranch as a Century Ranch, Steve "Hyde" Archachan as a Working Cowboy, and Mike Puhallo in Artistic Achievements. The second four inductees were inducted on Sunday, April 21st at the Williams Lake Indoor Rodeo, after a reception at the Museum of the Cariboo Chilcotin in Williams Lake; Archie Williams for Competitive Achievements, Frank Teer as a Ranching Pioneer, John Dodd as a working Cowboy, and Larry Ramstad as both Horseman, and Working Cowboy. Here's a very brief characterization of each; Sammy Pozzobon was born in Kamloops 1927 and it wasn't long before he got the rodeo bug. They ranched just outside of Kamloops in the Pemberton Range where Sammy's kids and grandkids all helped out and most competed in rodeo throughout the years making the Pozzobon family a perfect fit in the Family category. Will Pooley settled at Nicola in the early 1870s. His cousin Jim Pooley followed and discovered and homesteaded the current day ranch around 1900. Today grandson Mark Pooley runs the ranch and is in the planning stages of passing it on to his kids which makes Pooley Ranch an obvious Century Ranch. Stephen Mark Archachan, aka Steven, aka Hyde, was born May 5th, 1934 at Quilchena Creek in a willow bush. He began his first job at age 16

in 1950 at the Guichon Ranch. Now 63 years later he is still cowboying at the Guichon Ranch as well as the Lauder Ranch. Hyde was inducted in the Working Cowboy category. One of Mike Puhallo's first jobs was cowboying at the Douglas Lake Ranch and Mike spent many years riding. As well as a working cowboy he was instrumental in starting the BC Cowboy Hall of Fame and spent many years as president of the BC Cowboy Heritage Society. Best known as a cowboy poet Mike was inducted for Artistic Achievements. Archie Williams was born and raised on the Bonaparte Reserve in Cache Creek and spent most of his life as a working cowboy, farrier, horse trainer, and roping clinician. He was chosen by his peers as a pick-up man at the first Canadian Finals Rodeo. He is still competing in teamroping and fits the Competitive Achievements category perfectly. In 1963 Frank Teer carved out a road, a house, barns and corrals in the Houston area of BC after a few years of cowboying in the Cariboo and Chicotin. In 1970 he added another 640 acres to the ranch where he raised cattle and horses. Frank retired at 70 and turned the ranch over to his daughters. Frank Teer was inducted as a Ranching Pioneer. John Dodd was born in Spuzzum, BC, 1915 and went on his own as a ranch hand at an early age. He cowboyed for many ranches over the years including the Gang Ranch, Circle S Ranch, and Chilco Ranch. Over the years he was known to help many youngsters with problem horses. His greatest joy was riding the open range and he was inducted as a Working Cowboy. A cowboy and ranch hand that got a reputation very quickly as being someone that had the skills of management, Larry Ramstad brought a few suffering ranches to success. His latest job, for the past 23 years, is managing the mighty Gang Ranch. It was in rough shape when he moved there but everything has been rebuilt and the ranch is doing well. Larry might be a manager but one of his main offices is in the saddle, making him a great fit as Working Cowboy. Seeing cowboys like these inducted into the BC Cowboy Hall of Fame makes the BC Cowboy Heritage Society proud of the fact that its preserving memories of the folks that helped make BC the Province that it is today.

BC COWBOY HERITAGE SOCIETY • WWW.BCCHS.COM

2 May 23, 2013

COWBOY TIMES

A note from the president May 13th, 2013 2013 started out well for the society in quite a few ways. With the help of Cariboo/Chilcotin MLA Donna Barnett the BC Government made a new proclamation stating that the week leading up to, and including, the Kamloops Cowboy Festival, shall be known as "Cowboy Heritage Week" in the province of British Columbia which is a terrific stepping stone for us. This combined with the following , can all be built on in future years. Terry Lake, Kamloops MLA, was at the Festival and presented us with a framed copy of the proclamation. The Honourable Judith Guichon, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia joined us Friday evening at the Festival to officially open the evening show and to congratulate the Hall of Fame inductees. During the induction ceremony a short video was shown of our MP Cathy McLeod talking about the Festival and reading one of Mike Puhallo's poems in the House of Commons. Saturday evening Cathy McLeod was present, and read a letter from Prime Minister Steven Harper.

Wow! What more could we ask for? Well ... I guess we could ask for a bigger attendance, but as far as the Festival itself goes I'm happy with the way it went! A huge thank you needs to go out to the many volunteers that help put the Festival together and run it. I think sponsorship was up this year and another big thanks is more than deserving here. The biggest thanks though, should go to the spectators - a huge group of very dedicated followers that we see year after year in the audience. My feeling is that if we keep the Festival as it is we'll have another success next year. The 2013 BC Cowboy Hall of Fame inductions all went well with eight more names added to the list. This puts the total number of cowboys in the Hall of Fame over 100. Five student scholarships of $500 each were awarded this year. It's rewarding to know that all the hard work of the volunteers to put on the Cowboy Concerts and the Kamloops Cowboy Festival goes to help students with their education and to help keep the BC Cowboy Hall of Fame running.

Keeping the West Alive A new CD by Ed Wahl The first words that came to mind as this new CD from Ed Wahl spun in the truck CD player were, "Wow - what an easy to listen to voice." The title is appropriate, too, as this is true cowboy music and Ed has picked some great song choices. Favourites like Cattle Call, Cool Water, and Ghost Riders along with some newer tunes like Cowboy Logic, Rock Salt and Nails, and Amarillo by Morning make this a super collection of 14 tracks. My favourite is probably the first track, and the title track, Keeping the West Alive. Ed has done a great job of singing this Mike Puhallo poem that Bud Webb put to music. All tracks are mixed well with Ed's vocals up front and the background music where it should be - in the background. His voice is clear and like I said - very easy to listen to. Good job Ed!

COME CELEBRATE THE . . .

PROVINCIAL WINTER FAIR 4-H Ann ’s 100 th iver sar y

At The North Thompson Fall Fair Grounds, Barriere BC

SEP T

You can order a copy of this CD from Ed by email at:

wahlcountry@gmail.com My sincere thanks to all of the many volunteers who put in the hours and huge effort to make our 2013 festival a success. Word of mouth and friends telling friends seems to be the secret to new volunteers joining the festival. Hopefully we take from this a positive, enjoyable experience. Entertainment was over the top as were the trade and art show. Dinner theatres are always popular and well attended. I know I had a great time, lots of visiting with old friends, actually experiencing what our volunteers do. I hope you all did as well. Thanks again everyone, we couldn't do it without any of you. Marg Cordonier Director

3 EMBER 27 - 30, 201 www.provincialwinterfair.com

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Cowboy Times May 23, 2013 3

Inductee, Larry Ramstad shares his stories It takes a special kind of cowboy to manage one of the biggest ranches in Canada. Larry Ramstad is a cowboy that gives more credit than he takes, "I've been very fortunate to have always worked for the best" says Larry "I couldn't have worked for finer people … they gave me some terrific opportunities". Not a typical cowboy that wanders from job to job, Larry says he's always known ahead where they'll be moving next … and his employers have always known too. "They've all said any time I want to come back I'd be welcome" said Larry without any inkling of a boast. Larry has always been around cattle and horses. He was born and raised in Valleyview, Alberta and his career as a cowboy started while working on his Animal Science diploma at Fairiew Agricultural College. The head of the Animal Science program, lined him up with Gerard Guichon, a BC Nicola Valley Rancher, for work during semester break. After getting his diploma Larry decided to check out the cattle industry in Australia. "We stopped in New Zealand and I couldn't stand being on a boat any longer" says Larry. He stayed and broke horses for a while before hiring on in NW Australia on Dunham River Station and later for Alexandria Downs NT. "We think our ranch is big" laughs Larry, "I never did see the head quarters - it was 17 million acres". He returned to Quilchena, BC in 1969 for another 3½ years before heading to BC's Chilcotin and the Cotton Ranch where he was cowboss for Neil Harvie until 1975. While working at the Cotton Ranch he had a job interview for the manager position at the neighbouring River Ranch. "I'll always remember that interview", jokes Larry, "it was inside the concession stand at the Riske Creek Rodeo grounds. The new owner of the Ranch lived in Italy and couldn't speak a word of English so we needed an interpreter". Larry got the job and looked after the cattle until 1978 when he moved back to Quilchena for 12 years, mostly as ranch manger. Larry credits Ray Hunt for changing his ways of do-

ing things with livestock. This all started at a clinic in San Antonio. Larry missed the first couple of hours but got lots out of the rest. He went home and immediately put his newly found ideas to work on a colt. Bev laughed, "His saddle had long tapaderos and the long wings were flying straight out! They were bouncing off the corral walls!" Larry just smiled, "I could ride him, but I couldn't get off - every time he stopped I'd lift a leg and away we'd go again! I think the first couple of hours of Ray's clinic might have been important". This clinic changed some of Larry's ways, and also started a long time friendship. Over the years he's had Ray Hunt put on 18 Clinics! Meanwhile the Gang Ranch was struggling. It had gone through quite a few different owners before being purchased by Ibrahim Afandi, a Saudi Arabian businessman. This is when Bev and Larry made the move across the Fraser River to manage the Gang Ranch. He's been managing the Gang Ranch longer than anyone in the ranch's century and a half history, and is the first one to see the yearend figures in the black. With his wife Bev, he's taken a decrepit ranch and made it not only profitable, but a place that looks like it should be in a movie set! Larry said that hiring cowboys can be tough, too. Trying not to laugh too hard he said, "the cowboss was interviewing a potential cowboy at the horse barns. The cowboss told him to pick a horse and saddle up. When the want-a-be cowboy walked up behind the horse and very politely said 'excuse

Cariboo Country Night at Watch Lake September 14th Once again the Watch Lake/ Green Lake Business association will be putting on their Annual Cariboo Country Night - a fundraiser for area promotion. It starts out at about 5:00 pm with a short set from each of the entertainers, in Cowboy Concert style. Then the steaks are served right off the BBQ with all the fixin's. After dinner there's another set from each of the evening performers then things on the stage turn into a jam session and the dance begins! Who's entertaining this year? If you were at the Kamloops Cowboy Festival and took in the Country 103 Rising Star Showcase finals on Sunday then you would have heard the music from the Hanson Family and the cowboy poetry of Ray-Lee Fraser - and if you did, I'm sure you enjoyed them both. Well we're happy to say that they will both be at Watch Lake for CCN. The Hanson Family consists of mom, dad, and three of their kids. In Kamloops, and probably at Watch Lake, only the three kids performed - and man did they perform. Beautiful three part harmonies accompanied by guitar, bass, and fiddle. Ray-Lee was amazing too. It was her first time on stage but her poetry, with a special sense of humour, went over extremely well with both the audience, and the judges. Both Ray-Lee and the Hanson's took first place in

me please', and then 'thank you', the cowboss said … it's ok, never mind, we don't really need you here". Larry Ramstad definitely gives credit to others more than he takes himself, but what goes around comes around and every cowboy I've ever talked to that has worked for, or with Larry, has the same comments about him … comments like, "Larry is one of the most knowledgeable, honest, affable ranch managers I've known". "He don't expect you to do anything he wouldn't do himself". In 2010 Larry received a "Living Legends" Award at the Medicine Tree Ranch Rodeo in Nanton, AB, and in April of this year he was inducted into the BC Cowboy Hall of Fame. Both very well deserved recognitions.

the g n rati ersary b e da Cel h Anniv a n t Ca 0 n i 0 1 -H of 4

Rising Star Showcase finalist, Ray-Lee Fraser

their section. Now Cariboo Country Night, even with these two new performers, wouldn't be the same without Ernie Doyle! Ernie, with his big boomin' voice, is definitely a crowd favourite and he'll return this year with all those country songs that everyone loves. Tickets are $25 each and include the steak dinner! They must be purchased in advance and can be bought over the phone with a Visa or Master Card, or you can pick them up at Watch Lake Lodge, Meadow Springs Ranch, or the 70 Mile Store. Arrangements can also be made for tickets to be picked up in 100 Mile House. For more information phone 250-456-2425 or email msprings@ bcinternet.net.

ss Admi

ion:

The 64th Annual

North Thompson F all F air & R odeo

dults $12 a dents s/Stu $8 Sr r unde 10 & Free

Aug. 31 & Sept. 1, 2, 2013 at the Fairgrounds in Barriere, B.C.

• 3 days of BCRA Rodeo • Pony Chuckwagon Races • Exhibits • Livestock Shows • Heavy Horse Pulls • Concessions • Clowns • Magicians • Musicians • Children’s Area • Parades • and more

www.fallfair-rodeo.com

for hole the w ! family

FUN

4 May 23, 2013

COWBOY TIMES

Dave Atkinson and the Diamond D Bulls

We often take in a rodeo or two every year as we love watching, and appreciating the athletic ability of both the cowboys and the animals. Our favourite event? Hmm … hard to say, but most folks, I'm sure, would say the bull riding - the hype, the music, the adrenalin rush, and the pure power displayed by both cowboy and bull. Where do the bulls come from? Well, just north of 100 Mile House, BC, you'll find some good bucking bulls owned

by Dave Atkinson and his family - Diamond D Bulls. Dave started his interest in bucking bulls on his parent's dairy herd in Chilliwack. The family moved to the Cariboo when he was 5 and their neighbour at the time was National Finals qualifying bronc rider, David Reid. "He was my idol and I was there all the time. I couldn't figure out why my parents wouldn't let me ride the bulls with those guys" says Dave. Dave was 15 when he entered his first rodeo as a bull rider and didn't stop until he was 29, when his daughter was born in 2008. He didn't stop working with the bulls though and continues to raise them and bull fight. In about 2002 Dave started working with and supplying bulls for C+ Rodeo Stock Contactors - Earl and Roy Call from 150 Mile House. Together they supply 30 plus BCRA and Pro rodeos in BC annually, as well as some of the PBR and all of the BCBR shows. "Bulls are voted on by the cowboys for the CFR and NFR but if BC Cowboys have qualified then chances are they'll vote for our bulls" said Dave. They're not an easy animal to keep around, "I've seen a bull lift a whole fence made of 6 inch logs by getting his head underneath and lifting the anchored posts right out of the ground. The fence went back to looking like it had never been touched" said Dave's wife Nicki. Dave added, "We have one bull, that's appropriately named Houdini, that didn't like the look of his cows and kept heading to the neighbour's - I guess he preferred red heads. They weren't impressed with our Brahma in their purebred Limousin herd." Often when a bull gets out they have no idea how or where he escaped and sometimes they just plow through a fence and leave. Dave says, "I'm sure that's where road construction crawlers got

the name "bull dozer." Whether they’re at a rodeo or at home they get treated well. "The animals come first - we eat after they're fed and watered. We love them all, too," said Dave, "and even the old ones don't get shipped. If we retire them they stay around and enjoy life. When they die we bury them and give them a grave marker." Dave's parents are totally involved. His mom is a pretty tough lady, too. "We had a rookie learning to ride on a young easy bull." Dave told us, "His head met the bull's, he got dumped - out cold. I ran to bull fight and was bunted in the chin so I was dazed. Mom was at the house, jumped off the deck, cleared the arena fence, and got the bull away. Once she got the bull clear she woke the cowboy with a bucket of cold water in the face." "Dad often makes fun of the guys and he's a bit of prankster" Dave said, "But he's tough. One time I saw dad get flattened by a gate with a bull on top. We got dad up, he shook himself off, and said, 'boy, I look like I've been in a domestic dispute', and walked away to look after the bull." Dave's no wuss either. Earl Call said he had Dave look after the rodeo in Pritchard last year. He saw Dave the next night when all the stock was home, "I looked at Dave's hand when he took off the electrical tape and rags that had been put on after a ramp, with a bull on it, fell and crushed it. It was just about off from the base of his thumb up. Wow - you need to go to the hospital." He did, and after being temporarily fixed up, was sent to Kamloops for surgery on tendons, nerves, and bones, with a cast to follow. But the livestock came first.

Horseback riding in the Caribbean

In January we were lucky enough to join Billie and Hugh McLennan on their 12th Annual Spirit of the West Cruise. This year we were on the Emerald Princess for a ten day Caribbean cruise that was absolutely awesome! Before the cruise each year we always look into at least one place to go horseback riding. Folks with us say "you do that at home for a living why would you do it while on holiday?" Well we enjoy riding, and figure that seeing different countries on horseback is the way to go. This year proved to be a little harder than normal though, as we found very little about riding in the Caribbean (at least on the Islands where we were stopping). We did come across one though, and so we booked - Rancho Washikemba, on the Island of Bonaire. Bregje (Brigit to us) picked us up at the cruise ship and drove us through town to the outback … from the Caribbean Sea to the Atlantic Ocean, not that it's very far away, about a 20 minute drive. Brigit moved to Bonair about 10 years ago (from Holland) when her husband's work relocated them. They have built and run the riding business over the last three years. She has eight horses; a quarter horse (she wishes she

had more of them), three Columbian Pasofinos that she say are the real Pasofinos (different than Peruvian Pasofinos), one Paso cross, two thoroughbreds, and one Welsh. Now you think its expensive feeding and keeping horse where we are … think again! Brigit's hay comes from Holland, South America, and Canada … each bale compressed to a small rectangle in a plastic bag. It's more like haylage and is chopped to about 3 inches. Our ride was good ... and we definitely saw the country far better from the back of our horses than we did from the pickup. Things we never see like lizards and iguanas, (Kathy said she was glad there was a horse between them and her), the many different types of cacti, the amazingly coloured birds, and even Flamingos! The ground itself, the coral and lava rock on which we rode is so different than what we're used to seeing. Donkeys are wild animals here, and goats, although owned by people, run wild with them. We ended up in a beautiful little sheltered bay where Brigit has tie rings for the horses in a huge lava rock formation. Here we unsaddled and headed into the warm ocean for a refreshing and fun swim on horseback.

Knowing the business, I asked Brigit if she could share a memorable moment with us. Immediately she said, "You know this is still hard for me to believe, but I had a couple of hippies from Spain one time. As soon as they were mounted they galloped off before I could do much. Thankfully they rode pretty good, when we arrived at the beach they jumped off their horses, the guy stripped down to nothing and the girl to only a bikini bottom! I guess the shocked look on my face made the girl ask if this was ok … she said this is normal for them. I just tried not to look and carried on with the ride into the ocean where less could be seen!" There was even a hint of pink in Brigit's face as she came to the end of her story.

Quite a change from the modeling agency she used to own in Holland, but Brigit did have her own horses before she moved to Bonaire, and it's obvious that she knows horses. I think she'll do nothing but improve the business over the next few years, as long as the huge expenses don't deter her. If you end up on Bonaire and want a fun horseback ride, check out www. Rancho-Washikemba.com.

Horse Barn The