The Rock Creek Fair is an annual thing, and one that my family has pariticipated in for years. I had never been.

Somewhat coincidentally, my Aunt Wendy was able to make a trip out here corresponding with this year’s fair; this also happened to be her birthday.

Rodeo

The star attraction of the fair is the rodeo, and I waited patiently for it. When I finally found a decent spot to take photos of the roping, I was standing next to a guy who owned his own ranch somewhere up Pemberton way. I learned lots.

For starters: if you’ve ever tried to make a lariat and loop it around your head like cowboys to in western movies, just stop. They use a special rope that’s quite stiff, more like plastic than any rope I’ve ever owned.
crooked) table in order to keep it steady.

Steer roping is good fun though, and the competitors (as competitors so often do) take it very seriously. My recollection of the rules is pretty basic: when they open the gate, you have to give the calf 60 seconds; you have to get the calf by the neck and the back legs. Most teams seemed to go the neck first, although this wasn’t always the case.

I wasn’t able to take photos of all the competitors: dinner was ready and - ask anybody in Rock Creek - when Alberta Bubar calls you for dinner, you go.

Apres Fair

Whistler has apres-ski, Rock Creek has apres-fair in the form of the Rock Creek Hotel.

My grandfather used to spend lots of time here, and despite having driven by it a few times I’d never gone in. Arthur Bubar told us he remembers getting kicked out of the place in 1949 or something like that, but the owners seemed to have forgotten.

A gathering of Bubars was present: photo below.

L to R: Walter Bubar, Sour Kraut, Beryl Bubar, Arthur Bubar, Wendy Ouellette (nee Lobb), Alberta Bubar

Obligatory Drunk Guy Photo

It was early when we were at the hotel - probably 9 or 9:30 or something - but it was obviouse that some people had already been there for a while. The guy below, for example, wasn’t so much drunk as he was stewed - he’d obviously been absorbing as much as he possibly could for quite some time.

He kept getting up to dance, although that’s a generous interpretation. Definitely the center of attention for everyone in the bar, at least until the band came on. I’ve sort of nicknamed him shakey in my head, which is a shame because I’m really diggin’ Neil Young right now.

Photo taken with an Canon EF20mm lens at f8; the camera was sitting on our (apparently

Posted by skooter at 7:40 PM This entry is filed under Family, Travel.
This entry is tagged: Kettle Valley, Ranch, Rock Creek Fair