In late May, the good folks around Kispiox, B.C., held a very successful Rough Stock School. “We had a fabulous turn-out, and we got another eight rough stock entries in our rodeo because of it,” says Joy Allen, president of the Kispiox Rodeo Club. “Logan Hodson did a top-notch job of instructing, and he had students wanting to get on more and more horses.”
The high-kicking rodeo stock was supplied by C+ Rodeos (near Williams Lake), and Earl Call and Wade McNolty were the pick up men. To promote the classic rodeo sport and to attract newcomers to the sexiest sport on dirt, all of the tuition, plus accommodations and their meals, were generously provided by both the Kispiox Valley Rodeo Club and the Smithers Rodeo Club (yes, you read that right, a free rodeo school!).
The organizers extend their gracious thanks to both the CPRA and the BCRA for their support, and gave a shout-out to Gene Allen and Kaila and CEJ Mussell for pitching in and helping out when three-time Canadian Saddle Bronc Champion, Dustin Flundra, couldn’t make it due to a family emergency.
Kispiox, located a bit north of Hazelton in northern B.C., is perhaps most known to outsiders for its totem poles, some of which were the subjects of Emily Carr paintings. It is also known for the world-record-holding steelhead trout caught in the Skeena River and the whopping $10,000-added purse in the Kispiox Rodeo’s Saddle Bronc event. As an added incentive, the CPRA donated a Permit Card to the “Most Promising Student” of the school, which allows the cowboy to enter any CPRA rodeo that accepts permits (which is pretty much all of them). The 2019 Permit Card was awarded to Keifer Larson of Kispiox/Hazelton area.
The BCRA-approved 72nd annual Kispiox Valley Rodeo ran June 1–2 in Kispiox, B.C.
PostScript: I received a text from Joy Allen, and the committee was thrilled to report that the Kispiox Rodeo had over 50 entries in the rough stock events — the most in any BCRA rodeo in many years. “The school really paid off,” she wrote, “as well as the $10K added to the bronc riding — which Dustin Flundra won. I also think it was fabulous that Logan Hodson, who instructed the school, won the Bareback and was second in the Saddle Bronc, plus won the All-Around Cowboy. His students were so impressed!”