Tag: Quesnel

Posted on by

Local cowboy leads in two events after opening performance of Quesnel Rodeo : My Cariboo Now

Local cowboy leads in two events after opening performance of Quesnel Rodeo : My Cariboo Now

   A local cowboy has a share of the lead in two events after last (Friday) night’s opening performance of the 55th annual Quesnel Rodeo.

   Dyson LeNeve and Gracie Antoine from Cache Creek are first in the #8 Team Roping with a time of 7.9 seconds, and LeNeve and John Hancock of Quesnel are number one in the Open Team Roping with a time of 7 and 5.

   Other Cariboo leaders after performance number one include Dustin Nicholson of Quesnel in the Steer Wrestling with a 6 and 5, Cody Braaten from 150-Mile has a share of the lead in the Tie Down Roping, and Jordyn Farmer from Quesnel is leading the Junior Breakaway roping.

   Some other results of note include the Al Puhallo team from Quesnel winning the Wild Horse Race on opening night.

   Dariene Andros from Williams Lake is sitting in second place in the Open Barrel Racing, Reese Colgate from the Lake City is currently number two in the Junior Barrels, Williams Lake’s Briana Billy is second in the Open Breakaway Roping, Julia Bowden from Quesnel and Chad Braaten from 150 Mile are second in the #8 Team Roping, and Brandon Loring from Riske Creek is sitting in second in the Steer Riding.

   There is a slack performance this (Saturday) morning at Alex Fraser Park.

   Performance number two starts at 2 o’clock this afternoon.

   After today, the top 10 in each of the major events and the top 6 in the junior and pee wee events will qualify for the finals on Championship Sunday.

Posted on by

Quesnel to team up with Williams Lake and 100 Mile on future extreme heat events : My Cariboo Now

Quesnel to team up with Williams Lake and 100 Mile on future extreme heat events : My Cariboo Now

Quesnel City Council has directed staff to submit a joint application to the Union of BC Municipalities Community Emergency Preparedness Fund.

City Manager Byron Johnson said it made sense to work with the City of Williams Lake and the District of 100 Mile House.

“The thought process is if we’re going to get a consultant into help us it makes sense to amalgamate the three communities and do one larger project, although it will be looking at each community specifically, so its not a generic type of a solution.”

Johnson said the money would be used for a variety of things.

“The grant will fund a project which will help us to map extreme heat and understand our community risks more accurately between now and the 2080’s, including mapping areas, population, structures or assets at risk.  It will also complete a risk assessment of the social, economic and environmental impacts of extreme heat events, and create a plan for response and risk reduction for future heat events.”

Councillor Ron Paull questioned why the Cariboo Regional District wasn’t included.

Mayor Bob Simpson responded.

“I believe the kinds of things you are planning for is sheltering in place, how are you dealing with seniors, it’s more of an urban oriented phenomenon.  And the answer for the CRD for example, would be bringing people into the urban centres or a local solution of some kind, so I believe this is more of an urban oriented grant.”

The City of Williams Lake would administer the project if the grant application is successful.

It would be 100 percent funded.

Posted on by

Sled Dog mail run preparing for 30th annual event – Quesnel Cariboo Observer

Sled Dog mail run preparing for 30th annual event - Quesnel Cariboo Observer

Preparations are underway to bring the Gold Rush Sled Dog Mail Run back to the Quesnel area.

The president of the Gold Rush Trail Sled Dog Association, Ric Raynor, said unlike in 2021, the run should be open to spectators under public health rules.

“We certainly have some restrictions in place, but for the most part, they don’t constrict us because we’re an outdoor event,” he said, noting some indoor events like a Friday night dinner require vaccine passports.

Ten mushers and their teams have signed up for the run, with Raynor noting there is usually a rush of last-second registrations in the week leading up to the event.

This year’s event will begin at Troll Ski Resort in the morning on Friday, Feb. 25, where the mushers will be sworn in as official Canada Post mail carriers. The envelopes which will be carried by the teams are for sale throughout Quesnel, and can be dropped off at the post office.

“The nice thing about that is it gives the mushers one less night of accommodation,” Raynor said.

“The other advantage is after the dinner on Friday, I imagine most of the mushers will head to Wells, where we’ll be for the rest of the weekend.”

Raynor added mushers had been requesting a more centralized event for a few years now. That change, along with the move from the last weekend of January to the last weekend of February were made because the organization was able to take a step back during the COVID-19 pandemic.

At one point the mail run was a qualifier for the Iditarod and Yukon Quest sled dog races, but it’s now a standalone event.

“COVID was the opportunity for change,” Raynor said.

“(The move to Febraury) also gives people more time to buy the envelopes. It’s always such a rush through Christmas to the first three weeks of January.”

In previous years mushers were sworn in at the Canada Post offices in Quesnel. Mail will be carried through and around Wells, and a final dash is set for Sunday morning, ending in Barkerville Historic Town and Park.

Raynor said he’s been watching the weather closely, thanking business owners in Wells and the snowmobile club for helping prepare the town for the mushers arrival.

“We’re hoping for a little bit cooler weather,” Raynor said.

“Pushing through melting snow is not fun. The advantage with Wells is its a lot higher, so there are some cooler temperatures up there.”

The normal auction may move to a hybrid system, where some of the items will be available for bid online. A full schedule of events is available at sleddogmailrun.ca.

Do you have something to add to this story, or something else we should report on? Email: cassidy.dankochik@quesnelobserver.com

@GimliJetsMan
cassidy.dankochik@quesnelobserver.com

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

dogsleddingQuesnel