I would like to extend a warm and western welcome to all rodeo contestants and rodeo fans attending the 2016 BCRA Finals.

The modern day cowboy and cowgirl, along with our rodeo have our roots firmly set in the Spanish Caballero and the Mexican Vaqueros who in the year 1598 pushed cattle past the Rio Grande River into what was then the Kingdom of New Mexico, which today is much of the Western USA.  These cattle were driven north to start ranches on the land grants which had been granted by the King of Spain.  In Western Canada, the original cowboys and cowgirls where the First Nations people who were hired by the Hudson Bay Company to manage and tend the livestock herds which many of their fur trading posts maintained to feed their employees and families.  Here in the Cariboo, well before the famous post Civil War cattle drives from Texas to Dodge City and Abilene Kansas, large cattle drives brought cattle from modern day eastern Oregon, through Idaho and Washington State into British Columbia and onto Barkerville to feed the hungry miners.  Between 1858 and 1868 over 22,000 head of cattle were driven into the then British Colony of British Columbia to feed these hungry miners.  A number of these miners and American drovers started some of the earliest cattle ranches in the Cariboo, including the Gang Ranch.  A number of these ranches are still in operation today.

The same skills, determination, commitment, fortitude and willingness to, as they say “Cowboy –Up” that was required by the cowboys and cowgirls who first drove cattle into the Cariboo and started these early ranches, is reflected and valued by the cowboys and cowgirls who compete at the Finals.

Everyone involved with this event extends a warm western invitation to you to attend the exciting and entertaining 2016 BCRA Finals and connect with our Rich Western Heritage. 

We look forward to meeting you at the rodeo, where we live our traditions and reflect our rich western heritage.

Respectfully yours,
Ray Jasper, President Quesnel Rodeo Club