When Nicola Valley cowgirl Lynn Mobbs passed away prematurely in July of 2006 after a courageous eight-year battle with cancer, the wife, mother, and passionate barrel racer left behind a host of family and friends to mourn the loss of a much-beloved member of the local community and the rodeo world.
Ten years later, the memory of Mobbs remains strong — as evidenced by the packed rodeo grounds in Collettville on the weekend for the Lynn Mobbs Memorial Barrel Racing event.
Logan Lake’s Monica Oram is a barrels veteran. She was a dear friend of Lynn Mobbs as the two grew up in the Highland and Nicola Valleys respectively. Oram finished third in Sunday’s Open Jackpot on her horse Mocha. (Ian Webster/Herald).
Over 110 barrel racers of all ages and from all parts of the province took part in each day’s jackpot competition.
“The weekend was an absolute success,” said Mobbs’ daughter-in-law Leah Hassel-Mobbs, one of the main organizers of the event. “It was the perfect tribute to an amazing person.Lynn lived by the motto ‘Live, laugh, love’, and this past weekend was exactly that.”
Fittingly, the overall winner of theLynn Mobbs Memorial was her neice — Carmen Pozzobon from Savona.
Winner of the Lynn Mobbs Memorial buckle for earning the most money on one horse on the weekend was Mobbs’ neice Carmen Pozzobon from Savona. Shown at the buckle presentation on Sunday (above, left to right) are Lynn’s son, Derek, daughter-in-law, Leah Hassel, neice, Carmen Pozzobon, and husband, Allan. (Photo submitted).
The 30-year-old Pozzobon picked up the open division buckle for winning the most money on one horse on the weekend. She placed first on Saturday in a time of 16.442 seconds, and second on Sunday in 14.895 seconds on her horse Ripp.
“Carmen came into the weekend determined to win her auntie’s event as Lynn was the one who started her on the path to success in the barrel racing world,” Hassel-Mobbs said. “It was a very exciting and emotional win for Carmen, and she called it the most memorable buckle she’s ever won. Derek and I were honoured to present the buckle to her.”
Lynn Mobbs was born and raised in the Nicola Valley, and began riding horses almost as soon as she could walk. She began barrel racing at a very young age, competed in high school rodeo, and was a mentor to countless others over the years.
A highlight of Mobbs’ barrel racing career was an appearance at the famous Calgary Stampede.
