Prince George Rodeo Association in Search of Outdoor Grounds

By Kelly Sharp

              Barrel Racing was part of the Western Horse Competition at the Agriplex

After some lean years, the Prince George Rodeo Association is on the rebound. Membership has tripled and there is a concerted effort by the PGRA to introduce more youth and newcomers to the sport of rodeo. “We are trying to get people involved who don’t have a horse or have never been around a horse,” PGRA director Max Schultz said.

The 3-day Prince George Rodeo Association Western Horse Competition at the Prince George Agriplex was a huge success. Young and old viewed the indoor event.

 “We feature 4 disciplines team roping and breakaway roping, barrel racing, penning and sorting, working cow horse and cutting,” Prince George Rodeo Association president Dustin Graham said. “All the organizations work together under the umbrella of the PGRA.”

Aspirations of competing at a pro rodeo begin with the local rodeo association.

“This is where it all starts,” added Graham.

The Western Horse Competition included professional calf ropers and barrel racers.

Professional rodeo returned to Prince George in a big way last fall with the West of the Rockies finals. The CN Centre has become the new home for the 3-day indoor rodeo championship replacing Penticton.

The Prince George Rodeo Association welcomed the fall indoor rodeo but is awaiting movement on a much needed outdoor facility.  The rodeo grounds at the PG EX are no longer, leaving the Prince George western sports community without an area to host a summer event.  City Leisure Services Director Tom Madden has no timeline as to when an outdoor rodeo would ever return to Prince George. He noted that finding new outdoor grounds for the PGRA is in the long range plan of the City.

The reality for the Prince George Rodeo Association is members are on the road for most of the summer if they want to compete in rodeos. While the western sports community is on the rise in Prince George the lack of outdoor grounds slows momentum the PGRA builds through its indoor programs.

We have enough land here and the provincial government is willing to add more to the land base to give us the facilities this community deserves,” Max Schultz said. “We just feel this whole area here ( EX grounds) was set aside for agricultural purposes , I think it is time to bring it back to what it’s initial purpose was.”

Email | Print | Facebook | Twitter | Digg | Del.icio.us