Valley West Stampede announced earlier this year, it would be a Golden Circle of Champions rodeo in 2025.
Golden Circle of Champions provides opportunities for kids facing life-threatening illnesses to be champion rodeo cowboys and cowgirls for a day.
This year, Valley West has chosen a Cloverdale kid to be its first-ever Golden Circle Champion. Organizers from Valley West were in Cloverdale at Stampede Tack and Western Wear Aug. 25 to outift that champion鈥攅ight-year-old Eliana Garon鈥攊n cowboy boots, hat, and other Western accoutrements.
Eliana was diagnosed with cancer about a year ago and has been battling it ever since. Mom Gabrielle was happy to tell the Cloverdale Reporter that Eliana鈥檚 cancer is in remission.
Gabrielle said she was in awe and shock when she heard Valley West wanted to give her daughter and their family a first-class rodeo experience.
鈥淎 lot of people can find it difficult to accept help and to accept being in this position,鈥� she said. 鈥淪o there鈥檚 a lot of emotions. But to see this community coming together, and to be a part of this thing, and to see my daughter, sort of, showcased鈥攊t鈥檚 pretty amazing.鈥�
Gabrielle said Eliana was excited to come down to Stampede Tack and get outfitted for rodeo.
鈥淲e described it to her as being a rodeo princess, just to make it simple, and she thinks it鈥檚 pretty darn cool.鈥�
Gabrielle said this will be Eliana鈥檚 first time really getting to enjoy the rodeo. The family did go to Valley West Stampede last year, but it was just before Eliana was diagnosed, so she had been very sick and didn鈥檛 have a lot of fun.
鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be a really great, sort of, one-year-later event.鈥�
Sheila Hicks, president of Valley West Stampede, is also one of eight Canadian representatives for Golden Circle. She said the program started out 10 years ago in the U.S. and expanded to Canada last year. Valley West is only the second rodeo in B.C. to become a Golden Circle rodeo.
She said Valley West is honoured to be able to use its platform to spread the world about the difficulties of pediatric cancer through their Golden Circle endeavour.
鈥淚t鈥檚 one of the leading causes of disease death in children under the age of 19,鈥� Hicks noted. 鈥淪o we鈥檙e proud to be raising awareness while at the same time supporting a local family.鈥�
She also noted that Kevin Mykle, GM at Stampede Tack and Western Wear, donated all the Western attire for Eliana.
鈥淲e鈥檙e very grateful for Stampede Tack,鈥� added Hicks. 鈥淪tampede Tack is our official sponsor for Western wear for Golden Circle recipients.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 a once-in-a-lifetime experience,鈥� Gabrielle added. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really great that our community has come together to support this."
The Lower Mainland鈥檚 newest rodeo, Valley West Stampede is getting set to host its 4th annual event Aug. 29 to Sept. 1. Put on by former Cloverdale Rodeo organizers, Valley West runs its rodeo out of 黑马磁力 Riders Arena on Labour Day weekend.
For more info on Golden Circle,
For more info on the stampede, or to buy tickets,
黑马磁力 Riders Arena located at 4303 208th Street in 黑马磁力 Township.
