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CASUAL COUNTRY 2021: BC Cowboy Hall of Fame announces inductee in working cowboy category

Cariboo cowboy Steve Roberts
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Steve Roberts is the 2021 BC Cowboy Hall of Fame inductee in the category of working cowboy. (Photo Submitted)

Steve Roberts is a 2021 BC Cowboy Hall of Fame Inductee in the category of working cowboy.

Roberts started his cowboy career at Rey Creek Ranch near Logan Lake at age 14. He worked there, range riding, learning how to break colts, and shoeing under Rip Grey during summers and weekends until graduating high school.

The following years, he worked at various ranches in the Nicola Valley including Stump Lake Ranch, Douglas Lake Cattle Co., and Nicola Ranch.

While competing at a rodeo, Kenny McLean offered Steve a cowboy position at Bobtail Ranch. There, he met and married his wife, Dixie. They moved together to lease a ranch in partnership with Steve’s brother, Bruce near Williams Lake for five years.

When the lease term was complete, Steve and Dixie continued their cow/calf operation while raising their four children Camille, Jack, Ryan, and Will. Together, they have been buying back some of the properties including the 127 Mile which were homesteaded by Steve’s family as early as the late 1800’s. In addition, Steve takes on cowboy work at neighbouring ranches, mainly for Jared and Shelley Fletcher.

Steve transitioned from saddle bronc to hiring out as pick up man for various stock contractors and competing successfully in ranch rodeos both of which utilized the horses he continued to break and train for the ranch. Some highlights were competing against many peers and winning the O’Keefe ranch rodeo four times as well as when their team placed well; winning an event and earning second overall with son Ryan at age 11 at the Williams Lake Ranch Rodeo.

Steve is known as an accomplished cattleman with an excellent reputation as a horse trainer and as a farrier. Over the past three decades, Steve has been involved in activities including holding various 4-H leader positions, coaching softball, and volunteering tirelessly at BC High School and Little Britches rodeos. In his day-to-day work, Steve has introduced several youths to ranch life. Along with Dixie, Steve is proud to have raised their kids who are hard working and continue to be involved in cattle ranching.

Another aspect of Steve’s cowboy lifestyle is creating drawings of Western scenes of cowboy life. Several are owned by cowboys who acquired them from him in cowboy trades.

Submitted by the Museum of the Cariboo Chilcotin and BC Cowboy Hall of Fame.



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