Volunteers have been busy preparing to present the 97th annual Williams Lake Stampede.
“If it wasn’t for our volunteers and sponsors, there wouldn’t be the Stampede,” said Pauline Smith, a member of the board of directors with the hospitality portfolio. “We pay our cleaners, office staff and bookkeepers. That’s it.”
Ninety percent of the work is done by volunteers, she added.
Smith has been a volunteer since 2003, starting out packing the sponsor flags and chasing the cattle out of the arena. In 2018, she became a director and said they try “really” hard to treat the volunteers well so they feel safe and valued.
“We even have volunteers bringing their children and grandchildren.”
That’s the case for Smith too as her own children have been volunteering for many years as well.
“It’s a real family involvement,” she said.
Her husband, Court Smith, has remained on as president and this year Dallas Rivet took on the vice-president position.
“Dallas brings lots of rodeo experience to the board - he’s been a judge and a contestant,” Smith said, adding Rivet does wellness checks on Court all the time.
Former Stampede Princess, Bayley Cail, applied to be the groundskeeper for the Stampede, but ended up stepping in to help with the office.
“It’s been kind of neat to see things from this side,” she said, adding joining in March was jumping into the ‘hair-straight-back’ season when things were getting very busy.
Volunteers have been showing up for the Monday evening work bees and Cail said it was hard to believe there were only two Mondays left.
Volunteers needed
Smith said there is information on the Williams Lake Stampede website for anyone interested in volunteering.
“It walks people through, asks them questions, they can fill out a form and if they are not comfortable with that they can just phone the Stampede office or if they know any of our directors they can contact one of them,” Smith said.
Cail said they can also ask questions at the Grand Stands office open.
“The girls working in the office have been working on the volunteer list the last few weeks. They are there from 9 to 5, Monday to Friday.”
Four rodeos over the weekend
For the second year in a row, C5 Rodeo Company Inc. of Alberta founded in 2010 by Vern McDonald, will be providing stock for the Stampede.
On Friday, June 17, the first rodeo begins at 5:20 p.m. with the Orange Shirt theme and the welcoming of the horse and wagon riders from out west.
Saturday’s rodeo begins at 3:45 p.m. when the Armed Forces will be honoured and people are encouraged to wear read.
Lifetime membership recipients Allan Smith, a previous director, and Grace Perjue will be recognized at the Saturday rodeo also.
Sunday, as usual, will have the Tough Enough to Wear Pink theme and the rodeo begins at 3:45 p.m.
The fourth and final rodeo is on Monday, June 30 beginning at 1:45 p.m, and as it’s the rodeo closest to Canada Day, the colour theme will once again be red.
Shelby Pierson and Bella Da Costa - professional trick riders - will perform for the half-time intermission each day and GlobalFMX and Full Throttle Riders return to perform before the rodeos.
Cail said both the Mountain Race and the Wild Cowgirl Race filled up very quickly this year.
There are more entries this year for the Bronc Buster Trade Fair which will be open every day through the weekend.
Each day the Williams Lake Wild West Riders Drill Team will participate in the opening ceremonies.
Let R Buck Saloon
Walker Montgomery, who made his Grand Ole Opry debut in 2023, will be the headliner performing Friday, June 27 at the Let R Buck Saloon.
“It will be his first time in Canada,” Smith said.
Kayla Jasper, the director with the entertainment portfolio noted Gaslighter (Dixie chicks cover band) and Spirit of Shania tribute are playing Saturday, along with Dirt Road Kings.
“Then Sunday we have Eagle Eyes - an Eagles cover band - and Broken Hill band. The Tumblin’ Dice will play every night; after Walker on Friday, then opening Saturday/Sunday,” she said.
Gaslighter - a Dixie Chicks cover band - and Spirit of Shania tribute are playing Saturday, along with Dirt Road Kings.
On Sunday the Eagle Eyes and Broken Hill will play and The Tumblin' Dice will play every night; after Walker on Friday, then opening Saturday/Sunday, Jasper confirmed.
Stampede appreciated by community
Smith said what she loves the most about the Stampede is when the first rodeo opens, the grand stands are full and she sees what the city sees and appreciates.
“It’s the crowd, it’s the town,” she explained. “If we didn’t do this, the town would be absolutely devastated. That’s what I love.”
Planning and presenting the Stampede is almost a year-round effort, she added.
While the association takes a break in July and August, they do still do some catch-up stuff and then after the AGM in September they begin planning for the next year, she explained.
“It’s go-go-go and we do it for the town because Williams Lake is a great place to come and visit and holiday."
