By Claire Paradis, Special to the Revelstoke Times Review
About 1,100 tickets have sold to Nakusp’s first rodeo, but hardly any, if any at all have sold to local residents, which event organizer James R. Bruvall finds curious.
“Everything is definitely coming together,” said Bruvall, who is feeling confident now that the grounds down on Mill Road are prepared.
If you take the first left after North Nakusp Automotive and follow the road past the sewage lagoon, you hit a dirt road going to the left. Just before you hit the water, you’ll see fresh chips and a newly-constructed rodeo ring standing in front of the old beehive burner.
At this juncture, Bruvall has received over 3,600 intents to compete in the Nakusp rodeo, which means 3,600 cowboys and cowgirls are saying they’re planning on taking part in the rodeo. Contestants from B.C., Alberta, Washington state and Montana have given a nod to the rodeo, but the actual number will be finalized on July 24.
What they’ll be coming up to do is compete in barrel racing, bull and bronc riding, roping contests and more. They’re also more than welcome to take part in the mounted scavenger hunt and the “critter catch,” where adults vie to catch and corral goats in escalati ng rounds in which the animals increase in size.
Bruvall is very conscious of people’s concern for the welfare of animals, and said most people aren’t aware how important their well-being is.
“They don’t understand how important these animals are,” said Bruvall, who stressed that every precaution is taken to ensure their safety and good treatment.
“The level of water quality, food quality: I spend more on my horse than I do myself,” he said. Rodeos are very regulated these days, he told me, and no one wants to hurt any animals.
Bruvall wants to get locals out to the rodeo, a completely new event for the region, and get to know the animals better, and learn more about the skills involved in the rodeo events. He is looking forward to some local riders taking part in the horseback scavenger hunt, which already has 17 riders registered so far, but is also hoping that non-riders will also come out and enjoy a new experience.
He’s also hoping that Nakusp residents are just waiting until the last moment to purchase tickets, because he would like to see some local faces in the crowd.
The rodeo takes place from Friday, July 27 to Sunday, July 29.
