The Bridge Lake Stampede entertained many with rodeo competitions aplenty.
The 73rd annual Bridge Lake Stampede took place at the Bridge Lake rodeo grounds on July 5.
It featured a grand entry by the Tsq̓éscen̓ First Nation - with Jerome (Stumpy) Boyce and drummers doing drumming followed by bareback riding, saddle bronc, calf roping, junior breakaway roping, steer riding, team roping, pony bareback, senior breakaway roping, bull riding, barrel racing and a wild pony race. In addition to the rodeo competition, there were food trucks as well as an outdoor dance. Around 1,200 people attended the event.
Logan Law, who is the assistant to the president of the Bridge Lake Community Club, which helps to put on the annual stampede, says the event has been going on since 1949.
"It's really cool. Everybody from around Bridge Lake area comes and basically has to get one of the main and only originally community events that goes on." Law said. As for the rodeo competitors, they have been coming across from various parts of all over Western Canada.
"I've had people from Bella Coola, from up north, the Yukon, everywhere. They're even from provinces away. They come from all over." Law explained.
One of the competitors who made the trip to Bridge Lake is Noah Kennedy from Quesnel - who competed in the second section bull riding event. He did not have a good rating to give himself when asked how he felt he did during the rodeo.
"I did crappy. I bucked off. Had a pretty small bowl. I just should have worked harder." Kennedy noted. He has been bull riding for around three years.
Kennedy decided to participate in the Stampede because of the nice atmosphere that the Stampede had.
"They bring some nice stock, and it's not a crazy fight behind the chutes. All the stock contractors are really nice. They just want you to get out and get a ride. So it's a nice place to be." said Kennedy. "I'm excited to get that eight seconds and win some money."
One of the winners at the Bridge Lake Stampede was Alex Gauvin - a local of 100 Mile House, who participated in the bareback riding and first bull riding sections of the rodeo. He won first place at the bareback riding - and he did it with minimal preparation.
"I didn't really prepare at all. I didn't even stretch." Gauvin said. Moreso, he said there was not much he was excited or nervous about coming into the Bridge Lake Stampede. Gauvin mainly participated in the stampede for financial reasons.
"I was doing it for money. Mostly, I gotta buy a truck."
Logan Law said the event has been under planning since February of this year - and it has taken months for the event to come together.
"We plan it all together, and we all volunteer, and it's a lot of work, but it's a lot of reward." Law said.
