Liz Twan
Special to the Tribune/Advisor
For the first time in history, the Williams Lake Stampede played host to a full-day Ranch Rodeo, featured in its final performance Monday.
Ten teams from throughout the Cariboo-Chilcotin and across the province squared off while showcasing and testing their every day ranch rodeo skills, accumulating points in each event throughout the day where, ultimately, an overall aggregate champion was crowned.
Cowboys and cowgirls formed teams to compete in events including team doctoring, wild cow milking, wild horse race, a top horse competition, team sorting and head and heel branding.
The first event of the day was the top horse competition where one rider from each of the 10 ranches entered in the ranch challenge was chosen by their team to showcase the competence of their ranch horse.
Each competitor had to demonstrate the quality of his or her mount through an identical ride through a set course — reining pattern, sorting-cutting-hold back demo and a roping segment.
Their efforts were judged and scored by Larry Ramstad of the Gang Ranch and Ian Robertson of Miocene.
Kayo Toews, riding for Douglas Lake Cattle Company – Riske Creek Division, emerged as the winner of this segment, taking first place with an accumulate score of 166 points.
He was awarded a custom, hand-crafted buckle made by Bryan Poffenroth, also of Riske Creek, for his efforts.
READ MORE: Art of the Cowgirl to showcase local ranch rodeo talent
Finishing in first-place overall through the day’s events was Stump Lake Ranch of Kamloops, while the Woodjam Ranch team of Chad Seelhof, Ricky Seelhof, their eldest daughter, Riata Seelhof, and Kyle Bell, were second.
Ricky was a busy woman working throughout the entire weekend at Stampede, along with Riata — both in the rodeo arena daily and on horseback chasing the timed event cattle back to the catch-pens during the tie-down roping, steer wrestling and team roping events.
Ricky was also one of the main organizers of the Ranch Challenge, as well as being a competitor on her family ranch team.
Her efforts in the arena during the Ranch Challenge portion garnered recognition from the judges who awarded her the top cowgirl award for the event.
Brad Thomas of Williams Lake was the arena director, Gord Colliar of Cache Creek was the announcer, Jenny Huffman of 150 Mile and Asia Elliot of Alkali Lake tabulated scores and Bryan and Raylene Poffenroth contributed the use of their livestock for the competition, while Bryan also did the cattle handling during the event.
READ MORE: Thousands awarded after final pro rodeo at Stampede
There were numerous other volunteers working behind the scenes to ensure teh contest was successful.
The overall results from the event are as follows:
1.) Stump Lake Ranch (Brock Herman, Colby Stewart, Cole Bailey and Jake Herman)
2.) Woodjam Ranch (Chad Seelhof, Ricky Seelhof, Riata Seelhof and Kyle Bell)
3.) Douglas Lake Cattle Company – Riske Creek Division (Kayo Toews, Brad Rymer, Trent Evans and Ryder Wasilow)
Top hand, meanwhile, went to Brock Herman, with the top junior award going to Kacey Huffman.
Top three results from each event were:
Top Horse
1.) DLR Riske Creek
2.) Stump Lake
3.) Flying O
Sorting
1.) Chilco Ranch
2.) DLR Riske Creek
3.) Woodjam Ranch
Doctoring
1.) Woodjam Ranch
2.) Stump Lake Ranch
3.) Flying O Ranch
Branding
1.) Stump Lake Ranch
2.) River Ranch
3.) DLR Riske Creek
Cow Milking
1.) Woodjam Ranch
2.) Flying O Ranch
3.) Stump Lake Ranch
Horse Race
1.) Flying O
2.) Woodjam Ranch
3.) Coldstream Ranch
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