Two days of beautiful, sunny weather in Alkali Lake, plus a super venue, combined for a great Esk’et BCRA Rodeo.
The evidence of the hard work of the Esk’et Rodeo Club committee was there to see in the tented picnic area with ample shaded seating for eating, a sandpit for children to play in with a cool, shallow creek beside it, the mown grass and the food concession offering a full range of eats.
To the delight of all the spectators in attendance the C+ Rodeos rough stock was in phenomenal form making it very difficult for the rough stock riders to get by for a full eight-second ride.
Right from the start in the bareback event, as the chute opened, Guy Archie of Canim Lake was in jeopardy. Unmanned promptly and unceremoniously ejected him and, to add insult to injury, the bucking bronc also appeared to don Archie’s cowboy hat.
Continuing their dominance, C+ Rodeos’ Graffiti put Tyrone Hunlin of Williams Lake in a spot of difficulty as he was momentarily hung up with his riding hand still stuck in the hand hold of his bareback rigging after being bucked off.
His ride was stopped short at 5.619 seconds, a bit shy of the full eight seconds required and, as a result, no score could be given.
Bull riders, meanwhile, were also given fits by the stock as just one qualified ride out of 16 took place.
Everything was looking picture perfect for Devon Robbins, who was riding in his hometown of Alkali Lake Saturday, as he strived to make a winning ride in front of friends and family. It was a valiant attempt and he came very close to getting a score but C+ Rodeos’ Magnum had another plan.
He won the battle and finally managed to dislodge Robbins at roughly the seven-second mark. No score, no glory, no money. Instead, a huge cheer of appreciation from the hometown crowd.
Another hometown cowboy, Willee Twan, in the tie-down roping event tied his calf in 11.9 seconds to take the lead on Saturday, however, when the dust finally settled by the rodeo’s end on Sunday afternoon the time was good for second-place overall, just behind Steve Lloyd of Quesnel, who clocked in with 11.4 seconds in his go-round Sunday afternoon.
In junior barrel racing Williams Lake’s Brianna Billy had an exceptional weekend posting a 15.794-second time — one of the fastest times of the weekend overall, as very few barrel racers broke the 16-second mark. Fourth place in junior barrels went to Williams Lake’s Amy Hume with a 16.235-second time.
The following are the rest of the overall results from the Esk’et BCRA Rodeo:
Bareback (10 entries)
1.) Steve Hohmann (Quesnel), 74 on Sixth Sense - $639.43
2.) Christoph Muigg (Hazelton), 68 on Tycoon - $515.67
3.) Jared Marshall (Prince George), 66 on Cash Factory - $391.90
Bull Riding (16 entries)
1.) Clark O’Flynn (Quesnel), 39 on Blue Steel - $2,384.20
Saddle Bronc (eight entries)
1.) Steve Hohmann (Quesnel), 73 on Mr. Bodangles - $496.86
2/3.) Christoph Muigg, 69 on Wacky - $326.51
2/3.) Christoph Muigg, 69 on Mulligan - $326.51
4.) Clint Quesnel (Lumby), 60 on Crock a’ Lack’n - $156.15
5.) Clint Quesnel, 59 on Roxxy - $113.57
Tie-Down Roping (12 entries)
1.) Steve Lloyd (Quesnel), 11.3 seconds - $787.88
2.) Willee Twan (Alkali Lake), 11.9 - $617.52
3.) Kyle Bell (Houston), 15.7 - $447.17
4.) Brayden Roch (Quesnel), 29.4 - $276.83
Steer Wrestling (six entries)
1.) Wade McNolty (150 Mile House), 6.1 seconds - $943.49
2.) Charlie Attrill (150 Mile House), 19.9 - $803.71
Breakaway Roping (22 entries)
1.) Allison Everett (150 Mile House), 2.8 seconds - $885.25
2.) Denise Swampy (Williams Lake), 2.9 - $719.26
3.) Norma Macdonald (Williams Lake), 4.5 - $525.61
4.) Katrina Ilnicki (Williams Lake), 4.6 - $359.63
5.) Laura James (Cache Creek), 5.2 - $276.65
Ladies Barrels (38 entries)
1.) Judy Hyde (Prince George), 15.679 seconds - $1,097.82
2.) Joleen Seitz (Savona), 15.753 - $870.69
3/4.) Sara Christmas (Gibsons), 15.785 - $492.13
3/4.) Shayle McLead (Monte Creek), 15.785 - $492.13
5.) Jody Gibson (Quesnel), 15.789 - $264.99
6.) Cheyeene Church (150 Mile House), 15.924 - $227.14
7.) Taylor Cherry (Quesnel), 15.935 - $189.28
8.) Kassidy Steinke (Clearwater), 15.985 - $151.42
Team Roping (46 teams)
1.) Aaron Palmer/Neal Antoine, 5.4 seconds - $1,047.69 each
2.) Neal Antoine/Jonan Antoine, 5.5 - $830.92 each
3.) Tim Terepoki/Colby Stewart, 6.1 - $578.03 each
4.) Nick Teixira/Rod Spiers, 6.8 - $361.27 each
5.) Ryan MacNaughton/Steve Lloyd, 7 - $252.89 each
6.) Tavis Roch/Brayden Roch, 8.1 - $216.76 each
7.) Troy Eli/Brooke McFarland, 10.5 - $180.64 each
8.) Harvey Petal/John Hancock, 11.4 - $144.51 each
Junior Steer Riding (21 entries)
1/2.) Justin Harris (Courtenay), 73 - $223.86
1/2.) Jordan Monical (100 Mile House), 73 - $223.86
3.) Kevin Wallace (Mt. Currie), 72 - $134.32
4.) Braden Robbins (Alkali Lake), 71 - $74.62
5.) Lane Paley (Quesnel), 70 - $52.23
6.) Tyler Antoine (Clinton), 67 - $37.31
Junior Barrel Racing (16 entries)
1.) Brianna Billy (Williams Lake), 15.794 seconds - $222.77
2.) Harley Antoine (Cache Creek), 16.087 - $170.35
3.) Tatum Long (Terrace), 16.141 - $117.94
4.) Amy Hume (Williams Lake), 16.235 - $65.52
5.) Emma Langevin (Quesnel), 16.427 - $45.86
6.) Brittany Macdonald (150 Mile House), 16.437 - $32.76
Junior Breakaway (13 entries)
1.) Kali Alkings (Fort St. John), 13.7 seconds - $226.04
2.) Brook Everett (150 Mile House), 14.3 - $192.56
Pee Wee Barrels (12 entries)
1.) Taylan James (Cache Creek), 15.993 seconds - $108.80
2.) Erika Ignace (Savona), 16.737 - $83.20
3.) Emma Antoine (Cache Creek), 16.991 - $57.60
4.) Kylie Isnardy (Cache Creek), 17.837 - $32
5.) Zoey Bueckert (Vanderhoof), 18.741 - $22.40
6.) Turner James (Cache Creek), 18.751 - $16.