The annual Ted Bowe Memorial Barrel Race on Aug. 6 – hosted by the Sunshine Coast Equestrian Club – brought out a huge crowd of more than 100 spectators who came to see a great horse show and remember a beloved local cowboy.
“It’s always an amazing event – so many people enjoy coming here,” event organizer Candice Ellerbrok-Kern said. “I never knew Ted Bowe myself, but a lot of the people who come knew him. It means so much to his family because he was such a huge part of the horse community.”
Bowe moved to Gibsons in the mid 1960s and soon became known as a talented horseman. He was best known for “getting everyone out” to watch the gymkhanas (horse competitions).
During the early 1970s, the arena was on the site where London Drugs is now.
The main attraction of one gymkhana organized by Bowe was a 2,800-pound bull called Freight Train and all the local cowboys had a go at riding this beast. Bowe brought bareback riding – on wild horses – and bull riding to the Coast, the likes of which has not been seen since. For many years to follow he was part of the horse community as it moved to different sites and riders came and went.
The Sunshine Coast Equestrian Club has endeavoured to follow Bowe’s example and get the whole community out to watch and enjoy the day and remember him and what he meant to this community.
“It’s an amazing event for us to be able to host every year,” Ellerbrok-Kern said. “It’s so much fun and we have great sponsors. They’re the reason that we’re able to have this event because – with all the prizes and cash payouts – we’re a non-profit organization. So it’s hard for us to do such big events, but our sponsors truly make it possible.”
Every first-place rider in the open category won a jackpot, buckle and a frame – with a picture of themselves riding in the event. Second and third in open won frames, senior, junior and peewee divisions won jackpots for the top three plus a buckle and frame for first place and frames for second and third. See the Sports Ticker below for results.
For more information, visit the Equestrian Club’s Facebook page and for more photos check out the online galleries at www.coastreporter.net
