DAWSON CREEK, BC -- Indian Relay Racing is one of the fastest growing sports in North America, and it’s making its debut at the Dawson Creek Exhibition and Stampede this year.

“It feels amazing – you get a really big adrenaline rush walking out on the track, your heart pounds lots,” says rider Jay Peeaychew. “And when the horn goes it kind of goes away, but coming into the exchange your heart starts pounding again. So you get some really big adrenaline rushes and jitters, but you get over it once you get on the horse and become one with the horse.”

In the relay, there’s a rider, a catcher, a setter, and three horses. After a lap around the track, the rider jumps off their horse and onto another for the next lap. The catcher catches the incoming horse, and the setter gets the next horse set up for the rider. The exchanges happen at breakneck speed.

“You have to be prepared if something happens,” says 8-year-old Vienna Antoine, who is already helping out as a catcher.

“He comes in fast,” says 13-year-old Courage Antoine. “Last week in Poundmaker I almost got run over.”

And one more thing – most of them are riding bareback.

The riders are from several Cree nations in Saskatchewan. There are both adult and youth categories, and interest in the sport is growing fast. The teams are already getting inquiries from as far away as Langley.

“We’re the first association to hit all four provinces – we were in Manitoba at the start of the year, then a few shows in Saskatchewan, Alberta, and now finally BC,” says setter Lyndon Antoine, who is also the father of Vienna and Courage.

And travelling together creates a strong bond. Everyone has a job to do, whether it’s caring for the horses, painting the designs, or cleaning the barns. Team contain brothers and sisters, parents and children – but the family ties extend farther than that.

“It’s not just my immediate family,” says Lyndon. “Everybody, all the relay team is all family. We’ve all grown to each other, it’s pretty good.”

The Elite Indian Relay Racers are at the rodeo infield every afternoon at 4:30pm.