The Wineglass Ranch of Riske Creek were the overall winners of the Ranch Challenge competition at the annual Williams Lake Stampede. The competition consisted of two go-rounds (Saturday and Sunday) in the Saddle Horse Race, Team Branding and Team Sorting. This team; a mix of youth and experience had the most consistent placings which resulted in the win. Presenting the championship buckles to the team is Stampede Association President Fred Thomas (far left), Pat Jasper, Keely Durrell and David Maurice.
The weather is ideal for growing hay
By Liz Twan - Williams Lake Tribune
Published: July 03, 2008 8:00 AM
Congratulations to the hundreds of volunteers and the directors of the Williams Lake Stampede Association who worked so very hard to put on another hugely successful rodeo.
The high temperatures took a real toll on everyone’s energy levels.
If you think you were hot, you should have tried being a concession volunteer – the temperature when manning the tongs at the grill or the deep fryer rose to a record level.
Those valiant volunteers truly were hot.
The vendor up at the grandstand trade show who was selling the cooling neck-rolls must have tallied record sales. By day 3, every third person I saw working at the rodeo was sporting one.
NDP leader Carole James was in town on Friday and Saturday taking in various events. Local ranchers had the opportunity to speak with her, one-on-one and I’m sure they let her have an earful, spelling out how tough a time they are having just surviving day-to-day.
The lazy, hazy days of summer have materialized.
The general population is spending its free time enjoying the usual pursuits of summer: swimming and playing tennis, golf and the like while the rancher gears up for some serious hard work.
On Saturday when I was travelling home from the rodeo it was easy to see that most of our neighbours know that you have to “make hay while the sun shines.” It was the same scene on every rural route.
No Stampede fun for most of them, they were at home swathing hay. The weather — up to this point — was ideal for growing a bountiful crop and the weather witch waved her wand and brought in the sunshine and the heat needed to cure and dry the crop for hay.
The quality of the harvested forage should be top-notch; most folks who cut hay on Friday or Saturday should be close to having it all baled by now.
It is something that makes it possible for the local ranchers to be able to wear their happy faces for a few days.
The movie business came to town in June and gave the local economy a huge financial boost.
It seems to be another way for ranchers to get a little extra cash if they choose to allow the movie people to use ranchland as the location for the shoot. The Thaw, a major motion picture, starring Val Kilmer, was filming in the area. It is about an Antarctic research station, and the land chosen for the shoot had to resemble arctic tundra in the summer. There is a British documentary in the works that also may add a little cash to local coffers in the fall.
The Ranch Challenge competition at the Stampede changed its event line-up and performance times to Saturday and Sunday afternoon after the rodeo performance.
It was nice to see so many local cowboys and cowgirls taking the opportunity to get together to compete and have some fun. In the end, it was the veteran cowboys who showed the consistency that was needed for the overall win.
Long-time cowboys David Maurice and Pat Jasper, teamed up with a young cowgirl, Keely Durrell, to compete for the Wineglass Ranch of Riske Creek (owned by Keely’s parents, Brian and Jane Durrell) and they are now wearing the championship buckles given out for the aggregate win in the event. Congratulations!
