The cameras will be rolling next weekend when the Rodeo PG hosts its fourth annual outdoor rodeo.
Sanctioned by the BC Rodeo Association and Bull Riding Canada, the two-day Huber Equipment Rodeo on Saturday, June 14 and Sunday, June 15 is expected to pack the rodeo grounds stands at Exhibition Park.
All that roping and riding will be streamed live on the Cowboy Channel to a potential audience of 100 million, but there’s nothing like seeing a rodeo live with your own eyes.
Rodeo PG president Kevin Cunin anticipates the bleachers will be full with about 2,000 spectators each day to watch a full slate of eight rodeo events.
“We’re one of the biggest semipro rodeos in the province and have been since Year 1,” said Cunin. “We’ve got lots of roughstock guys coming from the north so that’s cool for the BCRA and we’re expecting a couple hundred different athletes.
“Prince George is a rodeo town,” he said. “We’ve had a couple of years when the weather hasn’t been the greatest and the stands have still been packed. If we get a sprinkle of rain everyone just pops up their umbrella and the rodeo doesn’t stop. It’s always fun to watch a cowboy get drug through the mud.”
A 16-foot-by-20-foot replay screen will be set up right next to the infield to give everybody another look at what just happened on that infield dirt.
Contestants will be chasing prize money in barrel racing, steer wrestling, tie-down roping, breakaway roping, team roping, bareback riding, saddle bronc riding and bull riding.
“We want to make it super enjoyable for everyone to watch, so we’ve got the replay screen, there’s no dead space,” said Cunin.
The bucking broncs, bareback horses, bulls and steers are coming down from the Peace Country from the Hard 8 roughstock pen of Dwayne Sorken. Cole Roberts (Cowboy Cole) will be entertaining the crowd as the rodeo clown.
“We’ve got the two best rodeo announcers in Western Canada coming, Jonathan Cole and Dom St. Amand," said Cunin. "They do the Canadian Finals, college finals and lots of Bull Riders Canada events."
Twenty-year-old Chase Siemens of Chetwynd, a two-time Rodeo PG champion who competed in the Canadian Finals Rodeo, will be tough to knock off in the bareback event.
Prince George cowboy Chase Sakamoto is a top 10 BCRA steer wrestler who also plans to enter team roping with World Series veteran Sandy Suter.
Derek Passey will be doubling his pleasure riding bulls and bareback horses.
The barrel racers will get the show started Friday, June 13 at 5 p.m. when they join the chase for a $4,000 added pot in the Norcan Fluid Power Barrel Race. Admission for that is free.
Prince George barrel racer Kim Meise will be one of the favourites, coming off her win last weekend at the Kispiox Valley Rodeo.
Also in the mix for the PG title is Kirsten Gjerde, who ended up fourth in the barrels at Kispiox.
Aspiring cowboys and cowgirls can try their luck on a mechanical bull that will be brought to the rodeo grounds Friday night only. A kids’ competition will precede the adult contest.
A beer/cider garden will be set up on the north end of the infield and all proceeds will go to the Prince George Western Heritage Society.
Drew Gregory of Standard, Alta., will be playing the rodeo dance on Saturday, Jun 14 at Kin 2. Tickets for that are $35. Doors for the dance open at 8:30 p.m. Gregory has shared the stage with the likes of Miranda Lambert, Big & Rich, Kip Moore and Old Dominion.
Rodeo tickets range in price from $12-$80, available through Showpass.
For more information go to the Rodeo PG Facebook page or to www.rodeoprincegeorge.com.
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