The anticipation is mounting, from fans and athletes alike, for the 26th annual Williams Lake Indoor Rodeo this weekend.
The first B.C. Rodeo Association event of the year, the rodeo takes place from April 15-17 inside the Cariboo Memorial Recreation Complex with three days of action.
WLIR president Kelly Walls said roughly 300 cowboys and cowgirls are expected to compete and invites everyone to come enjoy the show.
“I’ve been involved with the indoor rodeo for 12 years and this is my second year as president and it’s a great event,” Walls said, noting she garnered a love of the sport while growing up watching her brothers — one a team roper and another a bull fighter — take part.
“I just went to the rodeos with my parents and continued on.”
Aside from bull riding, saddle bronc riding, bareback riding, and other rodeo events, the fourth annual Cowboy Carnival is scheduled on Friday, April 15 from 9 to 11 a.m.
The free event is focused on kids under 10 years of age and will provide an opportunity to try stick barrel racing, dummy roping, bucking bull barrels, a bean bag toss, colouring and a meet and greet with the Williams Lake Indoor Rodeo clown, Dennis Halstead, now in his fourth consecutive year attending the WLIR.
“This is our fifth year doing this and it’s nice for the little kids to come see exactly what the sport of rodeo is all about,” Walls said. “One year we had close to 600 kids come through.”
The WLIR office will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the upper level of Boitanio Mall beside The Source until this Thursday where rodeo tickets, merchandise and barn dance tickets are available. Friday morning at 10 a.m., tickets can be purchased at the ticket booth at the CMRC.
The WLIR barn dance is scheduled for Saturday, April 16 at the CMRC beginning at 9 p.m.
“Barn dance tickets are going fast,” Walls said. “We’re about half way sold out.”
A beer garden with two flatscreen TVs will be setup in rink two of the CMRC for those wanting to enjoy a beverage.
“There’s lots to do,” Walls said. “If you want to watch the rodeo there’s the rodeo, then there’s the beer garden. We’ve got two great acts Friday night after the rodeo with Ben Klick and then on Saturday, Lee Dinwoodie.”
Friday’s rodeo performance begins at 6 p.m., followed by rodeos Saturday and Sunday, both starting at 1 p.m. At the start of Sunday’s rodeo the late Raphael Alphonse and current 83-year-old rancher Hank Krynen will be inducted into the BC Cowboy Hall of Fame.
For more information visit www.wlindoorrodeo.com or visit the WLIR Facebook page by searching “Williams Lake Indoor Rodeo Association.”