DAWSON CREEK, B.C. - When rodeo fans fill the grandstands at the Dawson Creek Exhibition and Stampede this weekend, much of the focus will be on the cowboys and cowgirls competing for prize money and championship points.
But behind every successful rodeo are the stock contractors and ranching families whose animals make the sport possible.
At the Dawson Creek Stampede, that spotlight falls on two well-known rodeo families: Kesler Championship Rodeo Stock and Moore Ranch Rodeo and Cattle, whose livestock help provide the action that draws competitors and fans from across Western Canada.
The Dawson Creek rodeo is part of the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association circuit and relies on quality bucking horses, bulls and timed-event cattle to ensure a safe and competitive performance.
While spectators may remember an eight-second ride or a championship-winning run, those moments begin long before the arena lights come on.
Years of breeding programs, livestock development and daily care help create the competitive animals that make professional rodeo possible.
KESLER FAMILY TRADITION
For more than three decades, the Kesler family has been a fixture at the Dawson Creek rodeo, bringing championship-calibre horses and bulls that attract some of the sport’s top competitors.
Duane Kesler says the combination of strong stock, talented competitors and enthusiastic fans is what continues to draw his family back to the Peace Region year after year.
“It’s one of the biggest rodeos going, and I love coming here. The crowd’s awesome. There’s a lot of good contestants that come, but also we bring a lot of really good horses and bulls here,” said Kesler.
The Kesler operation traces its roots back more than six decades, with multiple generations involved in the rodeo business.
That family history remains a driving force behind the company’s commitment to producing elite rodeo stock.
“We put a lot of heart into it. We try and find the best horses and bulls right there on the face of the earth,” Kesler said. “My grandpa and my dad done it all their life, and that’s something I like to do too.”
Kesler’s reputation extends well beyond the Peace Region, with his stock also featured at some of the biggest rodeos in North America, including the Calgary Stampede.
“We were there the first opening day of it, and it’s an honour to go there and take part in it. It’s great,” said Kesler. “They have the title of Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth, but I think Dawson Creek is one of the best ones there is.”
MOORE FAMILY A STAMPEDE MAINSTAY
The weekend rodeo will also feature livestock supplied by local stock contractor Clayton Moore, whose connection to the Dawson Creek Stampede runs much deeper than business.
Moore has competed in the arena since he was seven years old and now supplies cattle while continuing to compete himself.
Moore says former Dawson Creek Exhibition Association President Connie Patterson played a major role in helping him transition from competitor to stock contractor.
Since then, his company has become a familiar part of rodeos throughout Western Canada, providing cattle at dozens of events each season.
While supplying cattle for the rodeo, Moore is also competing in steer wrestling this weekend.
“I’ve got my own blood, sweat and tears in this arena dirt,” Moore said.“I grew up here. I’ve rodeoed here since I was seven years old.”
For Moore, remaining involved in rodeo is about giving back to a sport and community that helped shape him.
“I always wanted, when I was done, to be able to come back and give something back,” Moore said. “We really focus a lot on the kids ... we just really try to give back and keep everything going.”
That desire to preserve western heritage and community traditions is a theme shared by both families who say, rodeo remains rooted in values that have been passed down through generations.
As competitors prepare to enter the chutes and fans pack the grandstands, families like the Keslers and Moores continue to provide the foundation that makes the Dawson Creek Stampede one of the region’s most anticipated events.
Their livestock may spend only seconds in the arena, but the traditions behind them have been generations in the making.
JAKE GARDINER WATCH
One local cowboy hoping to be part of the action this weekend is Dawson Creek’s own Jake Gardiner .
According to Kesler, Gardiner has been battling injuries but may still try to compete Sunday if circumstances allow.
Kesler said that Gardiner is having a strong season and it would be special to see the hometown favourite return on Sunday