The weather outside was on and off, but the action in the Cariboo Memorial Recreation Complex was definitely on during Sunday events at the Indoor Spring Classic Rodeo.
The final day of Spring indoor rodeo events for the Interior Rodeo Event Association in Williams Lake included wild horse racing, bull riding, bareback riding, junior steer riding, open barrels, junior barrels, pee wee barrels, and saddle bronc riding.
Before the rodeo got underway stock contractor Orin Wade of Big O Rodeo Co. in Eckville, Alta. said it was his first time to the indoor rodeo.
"I've been to the Stampede before, but this was my first time here helping produce this event," he told the Tribune. "It's great. The town's great, the people are good. It's been a really good experience. They've been more than accommodating. It's wonderful."
His crew brought 32 head of horses, 26 bulls, 12 cows and six wild horse racing horses.
"It was more of a stronger pen last night. Friday night we started off with a lighter pen for the guys and then give them a little more competition last night and we'll bring it back down with a little tamer pen for them today to help end it off well," he said.
In the final event of the rodeo weekend, the second round of bullriders saw most competitors end up in the dirt, with only Mavrik Studley of Dawson Creek making it to eight seconds during his ride. He won the day's bullriding event handily with a score of 73. Dakota Coates of Fort St. John was second after his score of 53 in the first round of bullriding earlier in the afternoon.
Deegan Styran of Williams Lake spent more time in the dirt than most, having a rough ejection off Shames during his attempt. The audience held their collective breath as Styran lay motionless while he was attended by the medic team, but the young cowboy pushed himself up and limped from the arena to get checked out. The cheers from the crowd expressed everyone's collective relief, as they hoped he wasn't seriously injured.
During the intermission, the 2025 B.C. Cowboy Hall of Fame inductees and their families were introduced in a ceremony led by Cariboo Chilcotin MLA Lorne Doerkson.
