Fort Nelson

Rodeo fun

Get ready for a weekend of country

by Kali Love

If you are planning to visit Fort Nelson this summer, make sure you don’t forget to pack your cowboy boots, cowboy hat and saddle so that you can join in the annual Fort Nelson Rodeo taking place August 16 and 17 this year. Everyone from volunteers and spectators to competitors and tourists is bound to be entertained at this exciting annual event.

In The Yonder: A young cowboy gazes into the distant sunset.—photo courtesy Zarah Holvick

Gabriele Smale, president of the Fort Nelson Rodeo Association, said the rodeo runs on a volunteer basis and people from the community dedicate their time and energy to ensure the rodeo is a success. The British Columbia Rodeo Association and a stock contractor come to Fort Nelson for the rodeo too.

The magnitude of the event and the variety of activities planned for the rodeo help to attract people of different interests and all age groups—including whole families.

“A lot of the time, the mother is a barrel racer, the father is a team roper and the kids are all barrel racers or pole benders,” Smale said.

Activities such as bull riding, bareback riding, saddle bronc riding and ladies’ barrel will be occurring at the Fort Nelson Rodeo, Smale said, but there will also be specialized events during the rodeo to enhance the kid-friendliness of the weekend.

“We have a clown for the kids and we have had a greased pig competition,” she said. “We turn a pig loose and the kids have to catch it. We just put a ribbon on the back of the pig and the kids have to rip it off.”

Smale emphasized that the rodeo is suitable for any age group; many of the activities have a community or family focus.

“Our rodeo is always family-oriented—that is the way a rodeo is supposed to be—so everyone can enjoy it,” said Smale. “The people in the community of Fort Nelson really love it too because they come out and see it every year.”

Whether you attend as a spectator or a competitor, the Fort Nelson Rodeo is a fun-filled event you won’t want to miss.

Event at a glance
Event: Fort Nelson Rodeo
Location: Fort Nelson, British Columbia
Date: August 16 - 17, 2008

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