A large crowd came out to the 32nd annual Interlakes Rodeo this past weekend at the Interlakes Rodeo Grounds.
Around 800 people packed the stands of the Interlakes Rodeo Grounds Saturday to watch events ranging from the Canadian Wild Horse race, in which teams of three cowboys saddle the horse and ride it across the finish line, to breakaway roping, in which riders have 30 seconds to attempt to catch a calf shortly after it leaves the box. Those who were able to do so using what was described as a "small string" won the event.
Cowboys and cowgirls from across the Cariboo region, such as Quesnel, 100 Mile House and Williams Lake competed alongside competitors from the northern parts of BC such as Hazelton, Vanderhoof and Smithers. One competitor, Riley Richardson, who competed in the Canadian Wild Horse race, came from as far away as Calgary.
Pat Lytton is the main organizer of the Interlakes Rodeo. Lytton states that many people usually come out for the annual rodeo.
"We get a lot of visitors from overseas, even if they come to the resorts, to have a great summer break - and they come to the rodeo and it gives them a chance to experience some rodeo activity and Western activity that you will see," Lytton said.
Lytton's favourite part of the rodeo is team roping - in which a steer is turned out of the chute with a team of two riders.
"The header is the first to catch the steer around the horns and then turns the steer away from his roping partner, who will then attempt to rope back both legs. The time stops after both horses face the steer," stated the program guide for the Interlakes BCRA rodeo about team roping. Lytton said that her own son was competing in that.
Helping to supply the Interlakes Rodeo is C+ Rodeos, a stock contracting business based out of 150 Mile House that provides cattle and other animals for the events. Earl Call is one of the two co-owners of the company and has high praises for the Interlakes Rodeo.
"The rodeo has really improved in the last few years. They've done a lot of ground improvements and the tarps for the crowd are especially great, especially on hot days such as (Saturday), when the sun's beating on you," Call said. "It allows the crowd to stay for the whole duration and enjoy the entire rodeo."
Call was a bull rider who competed in many rodeo events when he was growing up. He says he still loves the rough stock events.
"That's like the bareback riding, the saddle bronc riding, and the bull riding - and those are my favourite events because it's the livestock - that we bring and walk in," Call said. "It's just definitely one of my personal favourite events."
