News and event information for Williams Lake, BC - as it happens.

By Cailin Cousins

Families enjoyed beautiful weather yesterday, behind teams of draft horses at the Cariboo Draft Horse Valentines sleigh ride. The event was by donation, and included a great concession with delectable hot chocolate, and a fire where people gathered to socialize and enjoy this unique Cariboo winter experience.   

The numbers at today’s sleigh ride were up significantly from last year. A steady stream of families, including multi-generational groups, began arriving at 10:30 and continued throughout the day. 

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Sleigh riders thoroughly enjoyed the entertaining information passed on to them by the Cariboo Draft Horse Club Drivers during their rides. Karen Sepkowski from the club said that the second team she harnessed up today, her Suffolk Punch pair named ‘Lincoln and Bentley’ are a critically endangered species.   

“There are only about 2,500 of these horse left in the world and only eight left in BC,” she said, adding that she owns three of them and Bud Weir from the Draft Horse Club owns two.    

“They’re endangered because during the war the government made provisions for trading horses for tractors and euthanized the horses,” she explained.   

Karen brought laugheter to the entire sleigh full of people when explained that the horses respond to voice commands, and in the Santa Claus parade recently, they had to ask Santa to stop shouting out “Ho Ho Ho” because the horses thought it sounded much like their “Whoa” command and kept stopping. 

Karen and Bud run the Association and the two of them had a big competition during the sleigh rides: who drove the lead sleigh. This provided big entertainment for the participants, who stated that the event was very well run and well organized---providing a wonderful winter event for all ages. 

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