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The BC Cowboy Heritage Society
Official Newsletter
The Cowboy Times
2011 Vol #4 - November
Issued quarterly;
February, June, September, and December
To see the past issue click on Vol#
#49
To see the next issue click on Vol#
#51
If you like this newsletter, we would be happy to send you a notice when the next issue
is on-line. Click on Subscribe to Newsletter
Its FREE!
Here are some of the highlights in this newsletter:
You'll probably want to scroll down and read the whole
newsletter
but if you do want to jump to a spot here's a list!
If you have anything you would like to
see in future newsletters give us a hollar at:
Email: cowboys@bcchs.com
1-888-763-2221
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From the Editors
Kathy and Mark McMillan
It seems like I just put out a newsletter ... but then again, it seems like we just put on the Kamloops Cowboy Festival, too.
They say time flies when you're having fun ... well, I guess if this is what you call having fun then that explains why
time is flying by so quickly. Seriously though, it is a lot of work, but we do have a lot of fun too, and I hope all the
great volunteers that we have can say the same!
The Cowboy Christmas Concert in Kamloops is the next thing on the agenda details here. It looks
like it'll be another great show with some super talent on stage ... even Santa Clause will be there. After that there's
the Spirit of the West Cowboy Cruise, the 100 Mile Cowboy Concert, and then it'll be that time again - time for the Kamloops
Cowboy Festival. See the Festival article here.
In this newsletter you'll find a list and thank yous to our sponsors read more ..., lots of Cowboy
Festival stuff, a review on the Chilliwack Mane Event read more ..., and some more information on
the January Spirit of the West cruise on the Golden Princess to Hawaii details here.
Kathy & Mark McMillan, Editors
msprings@bcinternet.net
www.meadowsprings.com
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Mark McMillan BCCHS President
President Report, November 2011
It's been pretty busy around here getting Festival stuff together - they tell me the Festival isn't until March but you'd
never know it here. Magazine ads have been going for a couple of months, radio ads are now all in place, entertainers are
all pretty much confirmed, and tickets are printed and on sale! ... in fact we've already sold dinner theatre tickets and
weekend passes.
We have a new "host hotel" for 2012 - well it has a new name anyway ... and a new look, and it's being renovated inside and
out. Exciting! The best part is the prices are staying the same for 2012. It's now called the Coast Kamloops Hotel and they
have already put some pretty good packages together - including the all new for 2012 Cowboy Festival Thursday Night Dinner
& Dance Kickoff Party. Allen Christie will have his band there to play the dance - should be fun! Read more
here about their packages and prices.
The Hall of Fame nominations have to be in by December 1st and that'll be followed by the selection meeting. Shortly after
that will be the Cowboy Christmas Concert in Kamloops, and then, two weeks later, Kathy and I join Billie and Hugh on the
Golden Princess as it sails to Hawaii for 14 days ... yipee! Can't hardly wait ... except that I have to figure out how to
get everything done that needs doing ... hmmm ... oh well someone has to go!
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The BC Cowboy Heritage Society
We've had meetings in September and October and the next will be Sunday, November 27th. The meeting will be in the Ora
Lounge behind the restaurant at 1:00. If you'd like to join us for lunch be there at noon - they are giving us a
soup/sandwich/beverage special for $9.95 or we can eat at the buffett for seniors rate.
This will be the last meeting this year.
We have a really good Board of Directors and some great committee heads and members therefore everything seems to be moving
right along on track.
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If you'd like to become a member, you can find a membership form here:
BCCHS Membership Form.
You can read all about the BC Cowboy Heritage Society on the
About Us page. If you become a
member there are no commitments. We have members all over the
world and would love more.
You can get additional information at:
The BC Cowboy Heritage Society
Box 137
Kamloops, BC
V2C 5K3
Phone: 1-888-763-2221, or
Email: cowboys@bcchs.com.
Back to Index!
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Mark Your Calendar for next year's Festival!
The 16th Annual Kamloops Cowboy Festival!
March 8th - 11th, 2012!
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Our headquarters hotel, Coast Kamloops Hotel (formerly the Kamloops Towne Lodge)
Phone 1-800-665-6674 or 250-828-6660
Email:
info@kamloopstownelodge.com
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Live in Alberta?
Want to see the Kamloops Cowboy Festival
without the worry of winter driving?
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Anderson Vacations
from Edmonton and Calgary, Alberta
Toll Free: 1-866-814-7378
fitres@andersonvacations.ca
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Anderson Vacations has put together a great package for the 2012 Kamloops Cowboy Festival. They'll leave
Edmonton and travel south on Queen Elizabeth Hwy picking up folks along the way. The package includes the all new
Thursday night dinner dance as well as full Festival passes, and all the dinner theatre shows - that 5 days and 4 nights
with accommodation in the host hotel - you'll never have to leave the building!
Download the Complete Anderson Vacations Information Package
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The 16th Kamloops Cowboy Festival
March 8-11, 2012
Tickets are now on sale!!
Phone us at: 1-888-763-2221 or pop in to the Horse Barn in Kamloops.
We haven't got a schedule together yet but most of the following performers have been confirmed. Check out these names -
you can bet we'll have another first class Cowboy Festival.
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Cowboy Poets
- Hugh McLennan
- Diane Tribitt
- Gord Colliar
- Brian Salmond
- Yvonne Hollenbeck
- Jayden Stafford
- Ol' Ugly
- Dave Longworth
- Ed Brown
- Kent Rollins
- Robbie Robertson
- Frank Gleeson
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Cowboy Singers
- Shirley Field
- Gary Prescott
- Jean Prescott
- Mike Fleming
- Allen Christie
- Tom Cole
- Liz Masterson
- Matt Johnston
- Butch Falk
- Ed Peekeekoot
- Tammy Gislason
- Kristyn Harris
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As well as the regular entertainment this year will be the first time there's ever been a dance. One of our best sponsors,
(not that they're not all best) the Coast Kamloops Hotel (formerly the Kamloops Towne Lodge), will be hosting the
"Cowboy Festival Thursday Night Dinner & Dance Kickoff Party" with Allen Christie and his band on the stage - it'll
be small (about 100 people max) but it'll be good. The dance will include a buffet dinner and the only way you can go is
if you purchase the package from the Coast Kamloops Hotel. See the article called
The Coast Kamloops Hotel for more details.
The trade show should once again be a super show of about everything you could imagine that's horse/cowboy/western related.
Helen and Red have already been getting booth spots rented ... and that's on top of those that booked their spot before they
left the show last year!
In the Art of the West Show and Sale we welcome Jane Kerner and Dave Longworth as the committee co-chairs and they have some
great new ideas and are really gung ho! I think this year they'll be planting some seed for some more future ideas ... guess
we'll have to wait and see what's in store for next year. 2012, though, looks to be a great show once again with quite a list
of possible art and photography entries. Read a little more about the Art of the West Show and Sale
by clicking here.
Thursday night, as well as the dance upstairs, we'll have our usual on stage jam "Get Acquainted Party" free
to weekend pass holders - in the dinner theatre. Last year we changed the way things ran a little and did more of a
"taste of what's to come on the weekend" and every entertainer on hand did one, maybe two, songs or poems ... this seemed
to have gone over really well so we might do that again. I think this gives folks a better idea of who they don't want to
miss throughout the weekend.
We're hoping that the Plaza Heritage Hotel does a Thursday evening welcome to Kamloops party again, as it's always been well
attended and a lot of fun ... stay tuned for updates!
One of the best news items about next year's Kamloops Cowboy Festival ...
the prices will stay exactly the same as last year!
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2012 Art of the West Show and Sale
Sponsored by Canadian Cowboy Country magazine
www.cowboycountrymagazine.com
Wanted - Artists, Photographers, & Saddlemakers.
Reward offered - Good Prize Money!
The Art of the West Show and Sale is a juried show and only a certain number of entries will be accepted. The jury is looking
for high quality work with a western / cowboy theme. There are five different categories where artists can enter their
works and each category has a Best of Show and a runner-up prize. In photography, sculpture, and flat work the prizes are
$450 & $350 plus a rosette. In flat work there is also a People's Choice Award which is $350 plus a rosette.
In the Saddle section entries to the show must be full size, leather Western saddles. There are two divisions in the
saddle show, professional and amateur. To qualify as an amateur, the saddle maker must not operate a saddle shop and
must not have sold more than 10 saddles in his/her career. The prize money has not yet been determined but will have a value
in the $1000 range for Best of Show and $450 for the runner-up in the professional section, and both will receive a rosette.
In the amateur section the prize will be a rosette and $350 for Best of Show and $250 and a rosette for the runner-up.
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Volunteer Coordinators Report - November 2011
It's been a great summer - however now comes the serious stuff...festival planning. The festival
grows every year - another new venue - with that in mind the ever-growing need for more volunteers.
Once again Volunteer Kamloops assisted us in a huge way for last year's festival. You can register
your availability through myself anytime, or Volunteer Kamloops. If you are already a volunteer
with us and if you haven't heard from me by January 2012, please call.
Remember the dates March 8 - 11, 2012, you won't be disappointed!.
Marg Cordonier
Volunteer Coordinator
250-573-3270
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The Horse Barn
The Horse Barn's web site is:
www.horsebarncanada.com.
Cowboy Festival tickets are now available!
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We are so glad to have the Horse Barn as a major sponsor of
the Kamloops Cowboy Festival.
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The Horse Barn
517 Mt Paul Way
Kamloops, BC, V2H 1A9
(250) 374-3511
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The Country 103 Rising Star Showcase
Part of the prize package in the Country 103 Rising Star Showcase is that the winner in both categories will be invited back
as a main stage performer the following year. |
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Those that attended last year's Kamloops Cowboy Festival will remember those winners:
The musician/singer was 16 year old Kristyn Harris from Texas and the cowboy poet was nine year old Jayden Stafford from Fort
St John. They're from opposite ends of North America but it sounds like they'll both be back to join the main stage lineup
in 2012 ... and we're so happy to have them back!
We have already receiver quite a few entries for the 2012 Country 103 Rising Star Showcase, too, so if you know any
talented individuals, or if you're talented yourself, give this contest some serious thought ... all you have to do is think
about the $1000 first prize or even the two $500 runner-up prizes in each category!
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1st Place Musician
Kristyn Harris
photo by Jerry Stainer |
1st Place Cowboy Poet
Jayden Stafford
photo by Donna Smith |
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For more information and an entry form see the Rising Star Showcase page.
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"It's About the Music" and the Western Music Association is gearing up for the 2011 WMA Showcase and Award Show. It will
take place in the Marriott Albuquerque, November 16th to 20th and it looks like it's going to be be a fantastic show.
The last issue of the Western Way has a full two page spread in the centre, in little text, and it is chalker block full of
what looks like a never ending schedule of events. A lot of familiar faces to us, too ... names like Belinda Gail, Stampede,
Almeda Bradshaw, Juni Fisher, Jim Reader, Mary Kaye, Miss Devon and the Outlaw ... I could go on and on, Kristyn Harris,
Tom Hiat, and that's just the ones that have been to Kamloops. Imagine all in the same weekend ...
You can find all the details at
www.westernmusic.com
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Alberta Cowboy Poetry Association - ACPA
Check it out at:
www.albertacowboypoetry.com. If you're looking for a performer for an event,
or if you are a performer looking to get booked for an event, then you'll find how
on their web site. If it's a CD or book you need you'll find tons of them there, too!
That's
www.albertacowboypoetry.com.
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The 11th Annual Spirit of the West Cruise
Hawaii - January 3th to 18th, 2012 on the Golden Princess!!
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Last year while standing on the deck of the Sapphire Princess, waiting to leave the port in LA, we were oohing and awing
about the ship beside us, the Golden Princes, and I snapped this photo. That big wide structure at the top with the blue
windows - that's one of the lounges. When I took the photo I had no idea I'd be on that exact ship, in a year's time,
drinking a cocktail in that lounge!
Imagine 14 days of sun and fun, pools and drinks, beaches and swimming, and some of the best food ever! That's what we'll
have as we sail from LA to Hawaii and back. On January 3rd we fly to LA, spend the night in the Marriott, and on the 4th,
at 4:00pm we set sail for the Big Island of Hawaii, where, on January 9th we will spend the day with our own private tour
of the Parker Ranch, North America's biggest cattle ranch. On the 10th we'll be in Honolulu, the 11th in Kauai / Nawiliwili,
and 12th in Maui. We then set sail back to LA with a stop in Ensenada, Mexico. We'll dock in LA on January 18th - with a
great sun tan!
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The list is already pushing the 100 people mark so don't delay too long if you're thinking about joining us!
click to enlarge
Golden Princess
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There are a few really special things, besides the Parker Ranch tour, that make this group cruise so much more fun. We have
our own private sing-a-longs with some great western music and cowboy poetry under the stars - and sometimes Hugh and the
other musicians will even take over a whole bar on the ship and start jamming for us. Everyone in the group gets a Spirit
of the West tee-shirt (every year is a different colour) which we all wear one day for a group photo - this is last year's
photo taken off the coast of Mexico. One of the nicest things though, is the networking with fellow ranchers and like-minded
western loving folks like us - some of which are on the Spirit of the West cruise year after year! In fact we're seeing
more and more repeat cruisers each year.
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click to enlarge
Last year's "Tough enough to
wear pink" group photo.
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click to enlarge
Hugh and the other musicians took
over the Captain Cook Lounge.
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click to enlarge
Note Hugh has a Corona in one
hand and a Bud in the other, hmmm ...
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Another fun thing while we're cruising is that back home our ranch sitters, family members, friends, Spirit of the West
listeners, and folks that wish they could be with us, can keep tabs on us and even see photos of us day to day on the
Internet. We keep two diaries going, with photos, starting before we leave, until we return. You can see both the
diaries from the last time we were in Hawaii in 2008 and every year since then at either
www.hugh-mclennan.com or at
www.meadowsprings.com.
But then again why go look at photos when you can book the real thing and join us ... you could get your own photo in
the 2012 Hawaii Cruise Diary! Get all the information on the 11th Annual Spirit of the West cruise on Hugh's web site at:
www.hugh-mclennan.com or call toll free to 1-800-530-0131.
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The Museum of the Cariboo Chilcotin
presents the BC Cowboy Hall of Fame
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The Museum is located in Williams Lake, BC. For information on the Museum, and what it displays inside, check out their
brand new web site at:
www.cowboy-museum.com
You can also visit them at their booth in the Festival Tradeshow at the 16th Annual Kamloops Cowboy Festival.
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Please note: nominations for this year must be in by December 1st.
Home of the BC Cowboy Hall of Fame ... and we'll be meeting there in early December to go through all of the
nominations, and to pick the next inductees. These cowboys will either be inducted Friday night at the Kamloops Cowboy
Festival or Sunday afternoon at the Williams Lake Indoor Rodeo. We'll keep you posted on the
Hall of Fame page.
November 26th - Cowboy Christmas Concert in Williams Lake
Trade Show, no admission, from 10 am to 4 pm and the concert starts at 7 pm. Tickets $15 each at the Museum or at the door.
Entertainment will be by Alan Moberg, Rossetta Paxton and Randy Pokeda, Stanley Stump, and cowboy poet Frank Gleeson.
This annual Christmas Concert will be held in the Gibraltar Room.
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Up Coming Cowboy Concerts
Two concerts are planned ... both should be great! ... and all proceeds from both will go to the BC Cowboy Hall of Fame
and the BCCHS Student Scholarships.
Cowboy
Christmas
Concert
- Friday, December 16th in Kamloops!
Tickets are now on sale!! $20 each - 16 and under free with an adult
Phone us at: 1-888-763-2221 or pop in to the Horse Barn in Kamloops.
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Free photos with Santa - 6:00 pm - bring your camera! ... we're accepting donations for the food bank.
We were lucky enough to have Santa Claus work this concert into his busy December schedule and he's agreed
to be there! Kids and big kids with kids ... come and get your photo taken with him (bring your own camera!) and then sit
and enjoy an evening of Christmas music with some of our favorite cowboy entertainers. We'll be in the beautiful Calvary
Community Church in Kamloops with the entertainment starting at 7:00pm. Part of this concert will be a crowd driven concert,
with your requests being sung by the entertainers (hopefully they now the song you'll request) and we'll be encouraging the
audience to sing along! In fact we're hoping to have the words projected on the big screen so folks can read them.
Jeremy Willis will be one of the feature performers and he'll have his Christmas CD there, too. He had a couple of the new
Christmas songs, that he wrote, played on radio last year, and it'll be great to have him
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click to enlarge
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there to share them with us. Gordie West will join him and he has a huge list of Christmas songs and
he's always a crowd favorite. Hugh McLennan will MC the evening show and hopefully he'll bring along some good Christmas
type stories and maybe a poem or two. Butch Falk and Shirley Field will add to the show and Santa himself has agreed to
sing a couple of songs for us, too ... straight from the North Pole!
The other Cowboy Concert that we have planned is:
The Annual 100 Mile House Cowboy Concert - Saturday, February 11th, 2012. We have confirmed all the entertainers
now, and they will make this show one of the best yet. There will be two shows; one will be a 2:00 Matinee, and the other a
7:00 pm evening show. The matinee allows those that have to travel time to get back home but both shows are supposed to be
the same as each other so it doesn't matter which one you attend. Both these shows always sell out, too, so don't wait too
long for tickets. They will be available for Christmas stocking stuffers again this year, and we'll have all the info,
including a poster and where to buy tickets, etc, on the home page soon.
Here's who we have booked for entertainment - none of them have grown up yet, it's just that a couple are older than the
others: (click to enlarge)
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Dale McEachern
16 years old
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Gord Colliar
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Loose Rooster
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Jayden Stafford
10 years old
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Thank You Sponsors and Volunteers!
We couldn't do the Festival or the Cowboy Concerts without you!
Volunteers ... I can't say enough to even start to thank you all ... Marg (our volunteer coordinator) I don't know
where you come up with all these great volunteers or how you keep track of who is doing what, or how you talk them into coming
back again next year! I know there was well over 100 volunteers at the Festival last year and, I think, every single letter
of praise (that's actually all we got) that came in to us after the Festival had a "thank you to the wonderful volunteers"
somewhere in the wording. I can only hope for, and I'm sure we will, have the same great support that you all offered us at past
Festivals. Thank you all so much!
Sponsors ... we so appreciate your support. Already the sponsor list is growing for the 2012 Kamloops Cowboy Festival
with most of our past sponsors returning and a couple even bumping up to a higher level. Saddle Up magazine will be
going right to the top as a Platinum Sponsor with Canadian Cowboy Country magazine, Country 103, Kamloops Towne
Lodge (the host hotel), the North Thompson Star Journal and Black Press, and Canada Council for the Arts (we have received
a grant again this year).
In the Gold Sponsor level Noran Printers has already agreed not only to doing our Festival posters but also the Cowboy
Christmas Concert posters! The Horse Barn, Spirit of the West, MSR Web Design, the Calvary Community Church, and Dr David
Ciriani have all agreed once again to the Gold level commitment. Thank you all so much!
Here's a list of the sponsors that are in place now and/or that we hope will be in place again this year:
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Platinum Sponsor
- CJKC Country 103.1
- Coast Kamloops Hotel
- Black Press Group
- North Thompson Star Journal
- Canadian Cowboy Country
- Canada Council for the Arts
- Saddle Up magazine
Gold Sponsor
- Noran Printing Ltd
- The Horse Barn
- Spirit of the West
- Calvary Community Church
- MSR Web Design
- Dr David Ciriani Inc
Silver Sponsor
- TV 7 - Midday
- Radio NL
Bronze Sponsor
- D Haughton Black Angus
- SignRite Signs
- Lee's Music
- Caffe Motivo
- Hub Intl Barton Insurance
- Tech Highland Valley Copper
- South Thompson Inn
- Hampton Inn
- Emsland Simmons Black Insurance - Ada Mogge
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- The Coast Canadian Inn
- Travelodge - Mountview
- Ramada Inn Kamloops
- Plaza Heritage Hotel
- Best Western Kamloops
Sponsors
- Comfort Inn Suites
- Sandman Motel
- Kamloops City Centre Inn
- Riverland Motel
- Four Points by Sheraton
- Quality Inn & Suites
- Alpine Motel
- Howard Johnson on the Hill
- Howard Johnson Downtown
- Super 8
- Holiday Inn & Suites
- Pacific Host Inn & Suites
- Central Equipment
- Ideal Brake and Muffler
- Dearborn Ford
- Kamloops Dodge Chrysler
- Smith Chevrolet Oldsmobile
- Dilman Enterprises
- Larry W. Good
- National Car Rentals
- Canadian Springs Water
- Omega Communications
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- ABC Communications
- Big O Tires
- WallMart
- Art Knapp Garden Centre
- Price Waterhouse Coopers
Supporters
- Scott's Inn
- Custom Hose and Fittings
- Costco
- Kamloops Large Animal Clinic
- Kal Tire (Victoria St)
- Kal Tire (Mt Paul Way)
- Bank of Montreal Employees
- Chop N Block Deli & Specialty Meats
- Kam Lake View Meats
- Fountain Tire (Yellowhead Hwy)
- Home Hardware
- The Kamloops Travel Centre
- KMS Tools
- Surplus Herbies
- Rona
- Bank of CIBC (Victoria St)
- Kamloops Indian Band
- HSBC Employees
- Big Sky Services
- Real Canadian Super Store
- Canadian Tire
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A big welcome and a big THANK YOU to Saddle Up magazine that has moved up to the Platinum Sponsor level and has also
agreed to sponsor the Cowboy Christmas Concert (see Christmas Concert).
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www.saddleup.ca
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Our Host Hotel has 2012 Packages ready now!
The Coast Kamloops Hotel (formerly the Kamloops Towne Lodge)
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There's some exciting news for us, the Kamloops Towne Lodge is now called the Coast Kamloops Hotel. That's right and they're
renovating all the rooms, the lobby, the outside entrance, the atrium, and the whole building has been repainted. We're
excited to say the least.
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Download Cowboy Festival
Rate Sheet
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The best part is that they will continue to be our host hotel and will continue to offer great package deals as well as great
room rates. The room only rate is $105 single and $115 double - pretty good hey! Here's the package deals - make
sure you use the early bird specials!
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Cowboy Festival 3 Night Package based on Double Occupancy:
3 nights stay in a standard room
2 full festival passes
2 tickets to either Friday or Saturday Dinner show (we will confirm)
Thursday night "Get Acquainted Party"
Three nights can start Thursday or Friday. It does not include Sunday dinner even if coming in on Friday
3 Night Package rates:
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OCCUPANCY
Single (1 guest, 1 room)
Double/Twin (2 guests, 1 room)
Triple (3 guests, 1 room)
Quad (4 guests, 1 room)
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EARLY BIRD (by Jan 15, 2012)
$390.00 + HST per person = 436.80
$240.00 + HST per person = 537.59
$188.28 + HST per person = 632.62
$162.42 + HST per person = 727.65
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Jan 16, 2012 onward
$415.00 + HST = 464.80
$255.00 + HST = 571.20
$198.28 + HST = 666.22
$169.92 + HST = 761.25
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Upgrades are available at additional upgrade fees. Please call for more information.
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Cowboy Festival 4 Night Package based on Double Occupancy:
4 nights stay in a standard room
2 full festival passes
2 tickets to either Friday or Saturday Dinner show (we will confirm)
Thursday night "Get Acquainted Party"
Plus:
2 tickets to the new "Cowboy Festival Thursday Night Dinner & Dance Kickoff Party"
with the Allen Christie Band (includes buffet dinner)
2 tickets to the Sunday night Dinner Show
Four night package begins on the Thursday night
4 Night Package rates:
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OCCUPANCY
Single (1 guest, 1 room)
Double/Twin (2 guests, 1 room)
Triple (3 guests, 1 room)
Quad (4 guests, 1 room)
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EARLY BIRD (by Jan 15, 2012)
$550.00 + HST per person = 616.00
$345.00 + HST per person = 772.80
$275.25 + HST per person = 924.84
$240.37 + HST per person =1076.86
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Jan 16, 2012 onward
$590.00 + HST = 660.80
$365.00 + HST = 817.60
$288.58 + HST = 969.63
$250.37 + HST =1121.66
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Upgrades are available at additional upgrade fees. Please call for more information.
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The 8th Annual Mane Event, Chilliwack, BC
October 21st to 23rd, 2011
by Mark McMillan
There are two things every year that Kathy and I consider a holiday, and wouldn't want to miss. One is the Annual Spirit
of the West Cruise (I wonder why), and the other is the Mane Event in Chilliwack (wish we could go to the one in Red Deer,
too). They are both an awesome time!
This year the Mane Event saw a record crowd of about 25,000 people ... and it's no wonder, too, as the word is out that
this event is a must see. They are already planning to improve next year, and I can't wait to see what's in store for
their 10th anniversary in 2013!
For the horse lover, be it jumping, horsemanship, driving, barrel racing, dressage, extreme trail, etc, the clinics are
ever so popular. Even the backyard horse owner can take in, and learn from, the nutrition and horse care clinics. The
trade show housed over 160 booths this year - how could anyone not find something to take home. In fact the exhibitors
said they thought everyone did take something home, as some said their sales were better than ever this year - I know my
wife came home with less money in our bank account.
The highlight for us? The Trainers Challenge for sure! To watch three of North America's top horse trainers work three
untouched colts from the Douglas Lake Ranch, is interesting and educational, and the suspense as to who will come out
with the high score just adds to the excitement. Hard to believe that after 3 hours and 45 minutes of training these
trainers show their colts in the big arena - saddle, lift four feet, do a serpentine, walk over a bridge, swing a rope
over their head, drag a fence rail with a rope, walk trot, and lope. Once these mandatory steps are completed they may
do extra in the free style section if they haven't used up their 30 minutes - like walk over a tarp, load into a trailer
... stand on their back, crack a bull whip ...
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The three judges; Mark Grafton, Miles Kingdon, and Wendell Stoltzfus
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Jon Ensign's horse showing a little attitude & covering me in gravel.
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Hugh McLennan was once again the voice of the Trainer's Challenge.
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After watching every minute, of every session in the Trainer's Challenge, and all of the finals, we still didn't know who
the winner was until they made the announcement - and it was a bit of a surprise. I think most folks, like us, thought that
Steve Rother had his horse doing a little more than the others, and might win. Jon Ensign had a great foundation built on
what I considered the toughest horse of the weekend and completed all requirements in the finals. Kade Mills didn't really
stand out above the other two but he had maybe the most consistent progress ... slow and steady ... and they say that's what
wins the race. Well this wasn't a race, but the judge's results from all five sessions were tallied, and the winner was
announced ... Kade Mills!
Another highlight this year, and we know it was a huge highlight because of the seemingly never ending lineup, was getting
a photo taken with a couple of TV stars. Jessica Amlee (Mallory) and Kerry James (Caleb) from the popular TV series
"Heartland" were on hand Saturday and I'm sure they both had perma-grin and writer's cramp by the end of their four hour
session. Even the trainers and judges got in there for a photo, as did Kathy and I.
All in all another great weekend at the Mane Event - congratulations Gail, Ron, and family for putting on such a
spectacular event. I wish we could head to Alberta April 27th to 29th, 2012 for the Red Deer Mane Event, but time
just won't allow it (tax season and my wife works for an accountant) ... but you can bet we'll be in Chilliwack October
19th to 21st, 2012. Hope to see you there!
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You can find more photos and information at:
www.maneeventexpo.com or go to their
Face Book page to see photos
and videos.
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Kathy and I with Heartland's Mallory and Caleb.
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The 3 trainers; Jon Ensign,
Kade Mills, and Steve Rother
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Kade Mills being presented with the winner's trophy!
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Stan Jacobs and the Douglas Lake Ranch
by Mark McMillan
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Can you imagine looking after 7,000 mother cows at Canada's biggest Cattle Ranch? I can't but Stan Jacobs has been the cow
boss at Douglas Lake Ranch for over 20 years now! This guys lives and breathes cattle and horses. They manage about 20,000
head of cattle and 300 horses - including 3 studs and 30 brood mares. Each of the 17 or so cowboys has a string of about
10 horses which they use to cover about 350,000 acres of grazing land on the ranch's 500,000 plus acres.
The ranch history goes back about 120 years and the name goes back to 1872 when John Douglas Sr homesteaded the first 320
acres. Charles Beak bought the property in 1884 and the Douglas Lake Cattle Company was founded in 1886 by four partners;
Charles Beak, Joseph Greaves, Charles Thomson, and William Ward. After a few owner changes over the years CN "Chunky"
Woodward and partner John West purchased the ranch in 1959 and Chunky became the sole owner after John's death in 1968.
Chunky passed away in 1990. The ranch was sold again in 1998, and again in 2004, this time to the present owners.
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Stan leads a colt to the round pen at The Mane Event Trainer's Challenge
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Stan awaiting Ron to announce the
start of the trainers Challenge.
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In the early 1960s Chunky Woodward became interested in the American Quarter Horse and purchased Stardust Desire and Peppy
San for their breeding program. Both of these horses went on to become NCHA World Champions. Douglas Lake Ranch now
raises horses exclusively for its own remuda, but is sticking with these bloodlines that they built the 1970s and 1980s.
These bloodlines were proven to be amongst the best when, in 2004, the American Quarter Horse Association presented
Douglas Lake with their Best Remuda Award.
We see three of these Quarter Horses colts every year at the Mane Event in Chilliwack, and every year they are top
quality horses. Stan trailers in the three colts that have basically been haltered in the past and had their feet
trimmed once or twice, other than that these colts are right off the range where they were born and raised by their
mothers until they were weaned and turned out. They are now two year olds and Stan tries
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to pick out three that are
similar in temperament. He knows the breeding of these colts through and through and every year the trainers seem
happy with the colt they drew. They are always amazingly close on the judge's sheets when it comes to score for
"degree of difficulty, level of resistance, aggressive behavior, etc". This year there was only one point difference
either way in the four different training sessions.
Stan told me that he's happy with the results from the Mane Event Trainer's Challenge, too. The colts are turned out
after the event but they are brought back in and delegated to a cowboy. They always seem to work out well as they have
a really good start on them. Stan himself says "I don't fancy myself a horse trainer. Sure I've had some good horses,
but horses are a mode of transportation to take care of the cows, and the cows are how I harvest the grass. Grass is how
this ranch makes money."
You can read more about Stan Jacobs in the last issue of Canadian Cowboy Country magazine and you can read more about the
Douglas Lake Ranch on their web site at:
www.douglaslake.com
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