The Wild West Riders have been practising twice a week in preparation for the upcoming Williams Lake Stampede.
They meet Monday and Thursday evenings at the Stampede Grounds and are inviting people to come and watch them on Thursday, Sept. 19.
Practices go from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
"We want to get friends, family and the public out to get some clapping and noise. Some of these horses have never even had the experience of being in the arena with a crowd," said coach Nicole Roberts. "It's a chance to get a small crowd, get the girls used to it and the horses used to it. It's all about our family and friends who have been there to support us through the year."
Roberts grew up in Williams Lake.
She has been on and off with the team for about 10 years and coach for about five years.
After the riders left the Stampede Grounds for a ride through downtown together on Thursday, June 5, Roberts told the Tribune there are some new riders this year.
"It's actually a nice combination of older and newer people so it's actually a nice combination - to get some new faces."
They've changed the pattern up from last year and there are few manoeuvres that some of the riders have never done before, she explained.
"We really enjoy switching it up and giving the crowd something new to enjoy."
When the Wild West Riders got started about 2010, her mom was one of the riders which is what got her interested, she said.
"One of the biggest challenges is just learning to keep an eye on everybody else around you. You are going in there with 12 different girls and you kind of have to be seeing everything at the same time. It's hard to not only focus on what you are doing but what 11 other riders are doing at the same time."
