"PERFECT WEATHER" AND NEARING TOUR FINALS BRING INFLUX OF CONTESTANTS, FANS TO DAWSON CREEK
August 11 , 2009

Terry Cooke couldn’t be happier after this past weekend’s Dawson Creek Stampede.

According to the President of the Dawson Creek Rope & Saddle Club, the volunteer committee that organizes and puts on the professional rodeo, attendance was strong and contestant entries exceeded their expectations.

“I don’t know what the final number is for spectators yet, but it was great. I know we had over 30,000,” Cooke says enthusiastically. “And our entry was up. We had 50 contestants more than last year.”

This is the first time the Dawson Creek Stampede has been on the Wrangler Canadian Rodeo Tour, and Cooke theorizes that had something to do with the increased number of contestants, and is already working on being part of the tour in 2010.

The Dawson Creek Stampede was the second last stop on the Wrangler Canadian Rodeo Tour before the Tour Finals in Calgary, Alta. in October.

And it didn’t hurt there was “absolutely perfect weather,” Cooke adds.

“All in all, the rodeo was good. We were all really pleased with everything. You can’t really complain if when the weather is good people come out.”

A similar tune rang true at the Olds Fair & Rodeo in central Alberta, which also ran from August 7 to 9, save for a brisk storm that blew in on Sunday and left as quickly as it came, just in time for the third and final rodeo performance.