Quesnel stole the show at the British Columbia Rodeo Association (BCRA) Awards in Williams Lake last Saturday (Oct. 20), with three local lasso luminaries taking home some serious hardware.
Lane Cork was awarded the 2018 Bull Riding Champion Saddle, Steve Lloyd won the 2018 Tie Down Roping Saddle as well as the Hank Vogel Rodeo Person of the Year award and Ray Jasper was honoured for his service within the association with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
The province’s top bull wrangler is pleased with the honour.
“It feels great to be awarded with something like that after having a consistent and successful season. It’s something I’ll have forever and be able to remember the year by,” says Cork.
He has a little time to reminisce, as he is still recovering from some injuries accrued over the last few months. Cork assures us he is getting better and will be ready to have an even better season next year.
READ MORE: Quesnel bull rider as tough as they come
Lloyd was confident enough in his performance this year that he knew he would be coming home with the Tie Down Roping Saddle, but was caught off guard by the Person of the Year Award.
“I did not have a clue that I was going to win it,” he says. “It was really good and quite a surprise.”
In addition to his performances on the rodeo ground, Lloyd has done some work on the BCRA board of directors in an attempt to make the organization better.
“We upped the prize money at the finals and we brought in a wild card rodeo before the finals, which is open to nearly all members,” he says. “So rather than only 100 of the members getting to compete at the finals, you get the whole membership.”
Lloyd is quite overcome by the company he is being associated with by earning the prestigious award.
“It’s pretty special,” he says. “There’s some amazing people that have won it in the past that you idolize.
“A guy just tries to do good things and help other kids out and I didn’t expect anything like that,” he says, adding: “The whole rodeo community is kind of like a big family. It’s a lot of fun and a good way to keep your kids out of mischief.”
He was presented with a plaque with the names of all past winners engraved on it that he will be able to hang onto for the next year.
READ MORE: Quesnel rodeo a huge success
Jasper was also unaware that he was in line to receive anything of note. The president of the Quesnel Rodeo Association was just stopping through at the banquet on his way down to Arizona.
“I should have known something,” he says. “My son and his wife were there and some friends from Cranbrook and Williams Lake showed up and they all knew what was going on, but of course I didn’t.”
The trophy is a terrific cap to what’s been a year filled with bucket list achievements for Jasper.
“Besides putting the Quesnel Rodeo on, I’m a judge,” Jasper says, “so I judge rodeos around B.C. and last year I went in the spring to Walla Walla, Washington to a pro clinic and managed to break into the [Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association] as a judge, and I also did the Canadian High School finals in Merritt.
“Some rodeos were a big deal and I felt privileged to do it and then this award has just kind of topped it all off.”
Jasper will relish the honour while down south for the winter months, but the trophy will not be crossing the border with him.
“I put it at my son’s house,” he says. “He was in on the act to get me there and the next day I was leaving for Arizona, so I didn’t want anything happening to it.”
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