The Nicola Valley Pro Rodeo Association held two meetings in November. Members in attendance reviewed the events of a successful season just past, and began the planning for a busy year ahead.
The 56th edition of the Nicola Valley Pro Rodeo, held on the Labour Day weekend, was a major topic of conversation. Association spokesperson Haley Rutherford reported that overall attendance for the two performances was up almost 10 per cent from 2013, and that the many new initiatives that the committee had put in place were very well received.
Those initiatives included a change in the start time of the Saturday performance to 5 p.m., the addition of a dance and a live band on Saturday night, the designation of Sunday as ‘Family Day’ with special events for kids at the intermission including mutton bustin’ and a shoe scramble, the presence of a special Kidz Zone for the youngsters on both days, the inclusion of a local businessmen’s calf-dressing event, and the existence of more on-site vendors and program contests.
The NVPRA committee was unanimous in its praise of local businesses for their tremendous support and generosity.
“Without their contributions, the Labour Day weekend pro rodeo simply could not and would not happen,” Rutherford said.
Despite the success of this year’s event, the NVPRA knows that many challenges lie ahead. Committee member Allison Thompson attended the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association’s annual ‘roundup’ in Edmonton in November and reported that pro rodeo committees across western Canada are experiencing tough times.
“The get-together was held in conjunction with the Canadian Finals Rodeo (CFR),” Thompson said. “There were delegates there from practically every CPRA rodeo committee in the country. We had two days of meetings and roundtable discussions. We talked about upcoming changes in the rodeo world, common concerns, and how we’re moving ahead.
“The meetings were an opportunity for individuals from both large and small rodeo committees to sit down together, brainstorm, and find out what’s working and not working.”
Thompson stated that almost universally, rodeo attendance is down from five and 10 years ago, although there are exceptions.
“The small community of Teepee Creek in northern Alberta is enjoying tremendous growth and success,” she said. “One of the reasons is the enormous support its rodeo receives from the city itself and the surrounding district. That is absolutely vital.”
Thompson went on to add that diversification is also key. A successful weekend can’t just be about a rodeo. There has to be many other things going on at the same time in a community to make it attractive for residents to stay in town and get involved, and attractive for out-of-towners to want to visit.
“By being multi-faceted with fairs, a parade and so on, it appeals to a wide range of interests,” Thompson said. “It’s about gathering the whole community together. The more people that you can have working towards a common goal, the greater the success you’re going to have.”
With respect to the rodeo event itself, Thompson said that the CPRA is working hard to address the ongoing problem of cowboys and cowgirls entering and then withdrawing at the last minute.
“The issue of no-shows exists for everybody,” she said. “In Edmonton, we talked about it as a committee-of-the-whole. Right now the fine for ‘turning-out’ is $100. That’s not a big deal for a lot of these competitors. The CPRA is looking at ways to resolve the situation to everyone’s satisfaction.”
Another major topic of conversation at the CPRA’s annual meetings was animal-rights activism.
“There’s no question that it’s impacting rodeos,” Thompson said. “The Luxton rodeo this year was hit hard by animal activists, almost to the point of shutting down the rodeo. Some of [the activists’] concerns are very legitimate and do need to be addressed. The CPRA and its membership are working hard to do just that.
“At the Nicola Valley Pro Rodeo, we do have measures in place to deal with animal welfare. We work with the stock contractors to make sure everything is safe. We have a vet on site. If something is wrong, we address it.”
Thompson said a lot of the concerns of animal-rights activists can be dealt with through education and information.
“If you don’t know or understand something, there is a tendency in society to not like it, or find fault. As ambassadors for the sport, it’s our job to educate and to promote awareness and understanding as to what rodeo is all about, and why we showcase the best of the best.”
In addition to making the Nicola Valley Pro Rodeo on the Labour Day weekend a bigger and better event, the local rodeo committee has some other important irons in the fire for the coming year.
In May, the NVPRA will assisting/supporting the Nicola Valley Stock Breeder’s Association as it plays host to the B.C. Cattlemen’s Association province-wide AGM.
In June, the rodeo grounds in Collettville will be the site of the Back Country Horsemen of B.C.’s 2015 Rendezvous, a week-long event expected to attract well over 200 horse-and-rider registrations.
“We have a busy year ahead,” Thompson said, “and we’d appreciate any and all support we can get from the community.”
For more information on the NVPRA, or to volunteer your help, contact Thompson at 250-315-3016.
