Coast Mountain News Thursday, July 4, 2013
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Vol. 29 | No. 14 Thursday, July 4, 2013
Serving the Bella Coola Valley and the Chilcotin CoastMountainNews.com
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SAMS Outdoor Ed Class canoe Turner Lake Serving the Bella Coola Valley and the Chilcotin
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Michael Wigle photo
Local Garrett Mack enthusiastically takes part in the 28th Annual Valley Ridge Riders Rodeo last weekend
Crowds celebrate local participants at 28th Annual Bella Coola Rodeo JOY MACKAY Blue skies and smiles prevailed at the 28th Annual Bella Coola Rodeo, hosted by the Valley Ridge Riders. This year’s celebration, which ran from June 28 through July 1 began in earnest on Friday afternoon, with an open gymkhana, featuring cash prizes and buckles for the high point winners in each of four agebased categories. Contestants competed in five events: Keyhole, Polebending, Stake Race, Scurries, and Barrel Racing. The gymkhana was extremely well attended by rid-
ers, running from 3:00 pm until after 7:00. While the only rain of the weekend fell late in the afternoon on Friday, it didn’t dampen the spirits of contestants or the general public who attended the open air dance on Friday evening, enjoying upbeat live music by Saskatchewan band, Trick Ryder, who entertained on both Friday and Saturday nights. Reviews of this year’s band were unanimously positive. On Saturday and Sunday, the action got underway in the afternoon with rodeo performances co-approved
by the British Columbia Rodeo Association (BCRA) and Western Indian Rodeo and Exhibition Association (WIREA). For the second year in a row, the rodeo format featured two full one-day rodeos. The change in format from previous years was intended to encourage contestants to make the comparatively long haul to Bella Coola in order to compete, rather than attend conflicting events in Bridge Lake, Williams Lake, or elsewhere. The two-rodeo format allows contestants to potentially achieve points twice over the weekend, improving their
chances of “winning the year” in their chosen event. Due to the overwhelmingly positive response to the two one-day rodeo format, the Bella Coola organizing committee will now look at how to balance the large number of entries with the need to keep the day from running too long. Perhaps next year will see full rodeo action spread over three days, rather than two? In addition to the standard events that make up the regular rodeo performances, the Valley Ridge Riders hosted a number of novelty events encouraging local participa-
tion. Events to which local spectators have become accustomed include the very popular Businessman’s Cow Ride, Wild Cow Milking, a Calf Scramble for the kids, and the most popular “event” with spectators, the Cow Patty Bingo. A few lucky locals went home with bigger-than-average smiles as a result of these novelty events. Stock Contractor Dale Dejonckeere of Wild West Entertainment Rodeo (WWE), made sure veterans and “newbies” alike had the best possible stock and were safe SEE RODEO ON PAGE 3