Chilcotin Rodeo
Gallery Hours
Tu–Sa: 10 am–5:30 pm; Su&M: closed
Since 2007, Gabor Gasztonyi has photographed the smaller rodeos in British Columbia, including the Nemiah Rodeo, Redstone Rodeo, Interlakes Rodeo, and many other First Nations rodeos in the Chilcotin region. This collection of photographs seeks to portray the emotional relationships one finds in rodeo rather than the act of riding a bucking horse or a bull.
The cowboys of the Chilcotin, recognized in particular for their skill at taming and training wild horses, are among the top rodeo participants in Canada. These rodeo skills are interwoven with the culture of the Cariboo and the traditions of the Xeni and Tsilhqot’in peoples.
Much of the culture of First Nations Rodeo relies on the concept of a gathering, or the coming together of people and the coming together of families. During the early days of the Williams Lake Rodeo, families came by horse, foot, and wagon train from the distant edges of the Chilcotin and camped on the rodeo grounds. The rodeo also became an act of bonding between Indigenous peoples and settler Canadians.
Rather than offering simple portraits of cowboys and their rodeo activities, Chilcotin Rodeo provides a closer look into the hearts of cowboys.