The 21st Williams Lake Indoor Rodeo will feature hundreds of rodeo competitors at the Cariboo Memorial Complex Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
Shaun Oxtoby, president of the Williams Lake Indoor Rodeo, says the rodeo kicks off Friday at 6 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday’s events start at 1 p.m., though slack will start at 9 a.m. on Saturday.
For each day, the Cariboo Cowgirls will start the grand entry and will further dazzle the crowd with their Shot in the Dark performance that entails using glow sticks in complete darkness.
Local country singer Charli-Anne Erho will also perform.
“We’ve got the wild pony race, which is young kids on miniature ponies,” Oxtoby adds.
And, of course, there will be all of the usual and exciting rodeo events, such as bareback riding, bronc riding, steer wrestling, tie-down roping, team roping, barrel racing, wild horse racing, bull riding, and steer riding.
At intermission on Sunday, Cowboy Hall of Fame inductees will make presentations, outlining a little of their history that landed them a spot among the legendary famous cowboys.
On Friday, there will be music by Skidmarks, and on Saturday night, the barn dance will be held with Legs and Wheels.
Williams Lake Queen Savannah Davies-Laviolette and Princess Nicole Roberts and the new Stampede Queen contestants will also be on hand over the weekend, as well as Miss Rodeo Canada Kezia Morrison and Princess Kirsten Braumandl, who will sign autographs and volunteer their time to help everything run smoothly.
Local and out-of-town venders will be at the rodeo, selling various items such as “cowboy bling” like belt buckles and jewellery. The Williams Lake Indoor Rodeo Association will also have a clothing booth set up, and there will be raffle tickets.
“The first prize is $1,000 and the second prize is $500,” Oxtoby says.
About 60 truck loads of dirt were loaded onto the floors in Rink 1 of the complex to prepare for the rodeo.
“It’s quite a bit,” Oxtoby says, adding that the City is donating its trucks, the City union workers their time, and Lake Excavating is supplying the dirt to help with the preparations.
Tickets for the indoor rodeo are available at the rodeo office.
Visit www.indoorrodeo.com for more information.
And don’t forget to check out the 74th annual Bull Show Sale. The show starts at 1 p.m. today and the sale starts at 11 a.m. Friday at the BC Livestock Producers Stockyards.