"Tent City" - The Williams Lake Stampede which originated in 1919, began as a gathering of friends, neighbors and ranchers for the sole purpose of providing some entertainment. It gave the cowboys a place to ride some Broncs and Steers, to rope and race on horseback. Horse owners brought their best horseflesh and held flat races. It was an opportunity to show off the best riding and cowboy skills and the best horses in the Cariboo.
Cariboo Logic - Over the years and years that Stampede has been in existence there has developed a wealth of stories and pranks that occurred at the rodeo itself or around town during the rodeo dates. Some are verifiably true and others have been told so many times that they must have gained a grain of truth over the years!
The Cowboy and the Lady - The Lady really was "a Lady". She was the Countess Beatrice Calonna di Montecchio, a wealthy Englishwoman who at one time was married to an Italian nobleman. By the time she visited the Cariboo that relationship was over and while visiting here, somewhere around Lac La Hache, she made the acquaintance of "the Cowboy".
The Lady on Red - Who was that out in front? When they hit the track it was the same sorrel horse and the rider was a LADY in red. As they neared the finish line there was no doubt as to who was going to win. They never gave up any ground once they hit the track and it was easy to see the horse wasn't even giving it "his all"
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