Ben Andersen of Eckville, Alta rides JDS 70 Patches in the saddle bronc Friday, June 30 at the Williams Lake Stampede. (Monica Lamb-Yorski photo - Williams Lake Tribune)
Clint Laye of Cadogan, Alta. on JD55 Reservation Friday, June 30 at the Williams Lake Stampede. (Monica Lamb-Yorski photo - Williams Lake Tribune)
Bobby Henderson of Alix, Alta. competes in ladies break-away roping Friday, June 30 at the Williams Lake Stampede. (Monica Lamb-Yorski photo - Williams Lake Tribune)
Chiefs and representatives from Secwepemc and Tl’etinqox First Nations welcome everyone to the Williams Lake Stampede Friday, June 30. (Monica Lamb-Yorski photo - Williams Lake Tribune)
Havana Aarsby of Carstairs, Alta. achieves a score of 75 for steer riding Friday, June 30 at the Williams Lake Stampede. (Monica Lamb-Yorski photo - Williams Lake Tribune)
You can see the elation through her helmet after Havana Aarsby finishes her steer ride Friday, June 30 at the Williams Lake Stampede. (Monica Lamb-Yorski photo - Williams Lake Tribune)
Hunter Ference of Consort, Alta gets 75 for his steer riding Friday, June 30 at the Williams Lake Stampede, tying for first that evening. (Monica Lamb-Yorski photo - Williams Lake Tribune)
Tie-down roper Haven Meged of Miles City, MT, was one of the competitors Friday, June 30 at the Williams Lake Stampede. (Monica Lamb-Yorski photo - Williams Lake Tribune)
Joel Harris of San Angelo, TX, competes in the tie-down roping Friday, June 30 at the Williams Lake Stampede. (Monica Lamb-Yorski photo - Williams Lake Tribune)
A bull rider competes Friday, June 30 at the Williams Lake Stampede. (Monica Lamb-Yorski photo - Williams Lake Tribune)
Kim Babcock of Fort St. John competes in Ladies Barrel Racing Friday, June 30 at the Williams Lake Stampede. (Monica Lamb-Yorski photo - Williams Lake Tribune)
Lennard Supernault of Williams Lake First Nation is one of the dancers during the opening of the Williams Lake Stampede Friday evening. (Monica Lamb-Yorski photo - Williams Lake Tribune)
Mountain racers waiting up top before the race begins Friday, June 30 at the Williams Lake Stampede. (Monica Lamb-Yorski photo - Williams Lake Tribune)
The wild horse race is always a test of wills as seen here Friday, June 30 at the Williams Lake Stampede. (Monica Lamb-Yorski photo - Williams Lake Tribune)
Quinten Taylor of Parkland, Alta. rides RS C22 Duece earning 84 points Friday, June 30 at the Williams Lake Stampede. (Monica Lamb-Yorski photo - Williams Lake Tribune)
Looking toward the Stampede Grounds after the first performance of the Williams Lake Stampede is completed Friday, June 30. (Monica Lamb-Yorski photo - Williams Lake Tribune)The 95th Williams Lake Stampede’s first performance Friday evening June 30 contained all the main events rode-goers have come to expect.
In front of a large crowd, rodeo contestants competed in bareback, tie-down roping, ladies break-away roping, saddle bronc, mountain race, steer wrestling, junior steer riding, ladies barrel racing, the wild horse race, wild cowgirl race, team roping and bull riding.
Starting off the evening, participants in the Xeni Gwet’in Youth Wagon Trip, the Tl’etinqox and Yunesit’in bike and horse ride and the Every Child Cross Country Wagon and Horse Ride rode into the arena.
They were greeted with loud cheers from the audience, with many people wearing orange T-shirts to show their support for Every Child Matters.
Part way through the evening it did start to rain.
When the mountain racers set out the sun was shining, but by the time they were approaching the finish line it was raining heavily.
In the mountain race, Jesse Chillihitza came first, Darren Sulin was second, William Smithers was third, Oliver Lindley fourth, Conway Lulua fifth and Shae Spiker sixth.
The placings were similar to Thursday evening for the first four and reversed for fifth and sixth place.
One of the highlights of the evening was a tie for first place in the junior steer riding.
Hunter Ference and Havana Aarsby both scored 75, causing rodeo announcer Tyson Pietsch to remark, “if you can’t beat em’ join em,” referring to Havana matching Hunter’s score riding after he did.
Havana’s steer tried to throw her off a few times, but she kept hanging on.
Bull rider Tyler Craig of Crossfield, Alta rode Sipp’n Tequila for a score of 87.
The only other bull rider to score was Dakota Buttar of Etonia, Sask. on The Boss, for which he received a score of 58.
For the Wild Cowgirls race Friday night, it was Kayle Hartman, who crossed the finish line first followed by Darby Cail, Amber Crutchly, Cj Stroller and Brittany White. Similar to the Mountain Race, the first heat was on Thursday evening.
Rodeo action returns Saturday, July 1 with the second performance beginning at 1:45 p.m.
Pietch announced there are no tickets left online for Saturday, but tickets will be sold at the box office until they are sold out.
The grandstand opens at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, with the ranch rodeo starting at 9 a.m.
READ MORE: Williams Lake Stampede action returns with Thursday evening show
READ MORE: 95th Annual Williams Lake Stampede officially underway
monica.lamb-yorski@wltribune.com
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