Ten riders are competing in this year's Mountain Race at the Williams Lake Stampede.
A highlight at the rodeo, the race begins at the top of the hill above the Stampede grounds near Oliver Street. The race route sees the riders proceed along the top before tackling some sharp turns and steep angles before landing on the rack track and heading toward the finish line inside the Stampede arena.
On Friday, June 27, the Tribune talked with Darren Setah who is returning to compete in the Mountain Race after almost 10 years.
A member of Xeni Gwet'in First Nation, he has been participating with his family in the Xeni Gwet'in Horse and Wagon Youth Trip from Xeni Gwet'in to Williams Lake.
"All I'm asking is just to make it down the track all four days and just have fun and me and him stay positive," he said as he nodded toward his 14-year-old horse Major.
Setah said he used to compete almost every year and won the season saddle in 2011 and 2015.
"As of now it's a lot more competition," he said, adding "we'll see what this old veteran can do."
It will be Major's first mountain racing.
The other riders competing are Derek Hink (Yunesit'in), Shae Spiker (Williams Lake), Lisa Parinuik (Krestova), Leo Quilt (Xeni Gwet'in), Darren Sulin (Towdystan), Oliver Lindley (Quilchena), Jesse Chillihitzia (Quilchena), William Smithers (Douglas Lake) and Steve Quilt (Xeni Gwet'in).
The race takes place all four days at the Stampede.
