Skip to content

Strictly for the bull

This is the busiest week of April in Willie’s Puddle as we host two annual events.

This is the busiest week of April in Willie’s Puddle as we host two annual events; the Williams Lake Bull Show and Sale (76th) and the WL Indoor Rodeo (23rd) — both (unapologetically) uniquely western in nature.

The influx begins early in the week as the breeders truck their bulls in to the BC Livestock yards to a Bull Show/ Sale that is well respected/regarded as one of the premier events of its type in Western Canada. The buyers flock to the Cariboo from all-over Western Canada, hoping to place the top-bid on the bull(s) that fits their (customized) breeding programs.

For many, a working-holiday in which they also try to socialize or take a mini-country-tour (to a local ranch-we often host fellow-cattlemen) in addition to enjoying all the lakecity offers (accommodation, dining and shopping).

Harbour no illusions, however,  these visitors are not here primarily to experience our cultural diversity — they have come-strictly for the bull. The rest is extraneous fluff.

Indoor Rodeo action kicks off on Friday evening and features include; daily rodeo action, West Coast Thunder Drill Team, Young Gunz Trick Riders, BC Cowboy Hall of Fame 2013 induction-ceremonies (Sunday) and more.

It’s yet another (unashamedly) western event which draws large numbers (visitors) to our community.

Reader-awareness of my (personal) leanings toward all-things western regularly reflected in my writing and photography should make the following thoughts no surprise.

I’ve rolled the proposed new tagline — Welcome to the Republic of Life — around in my mind for days now, and while I like to believe I’m open to new ideas — I just can’t buy this one!

So I’m going to stand firmly in Ina’s (Boxeur) corner for this bout. Round by round, we need to celebrate our western heritage; it rewards us with a knockout punch in the ring of life!

Liz Twan is a rancher and freelance columnist for the Tribune.