For the second year in a row, a 100 Mile House equestrian has won the Wild Cowgirl Race at the Williams Lake Stampede.
Kayle Hartman is a horserider from the 93 Mile area who has competed in the race, a 3/8ths of a mile flat race at the Williams Lake Stampede grounds, for six years. She has won the grand prize of an Ellis Cattle Co. championship buckle twice in a row now, in addition to large cash payouts. Hartman has been participating in the event since 2017.
"To be honest, ever since then, I've just gotten the race bug and I've wanted to take part in every single year," Hartman said. "I've been into horses my entire life - grew up on a horse - and I've always had an interest in horses."
Hartman's current horse is a mare by the name of Turbo, a 10-year-old thoroughbred that she got back in 2017 through a family friend in Langley. When Hartman got Turbo at first, she had seen better days.
"I was not sure if she'd ever be a riding horse. I took her just to try and give her some light in life and see if I could nurse her back to sound and healthiness," Hartman explained. "And I was successful, clearly, with the last few years of what she's done for me."
The prize money that has been won by Hartman thanks to Turbo has been invested back into her in the form of massage therapy sessions, hay and new saddle pads.
"We've gone through a lot together - and yeah, she wasn't easy to begin with when I first got her - actually I get emotional even talking about it - but no - I have that mare's heart and she has mine and she will do anything for me at this point in her life now, and I would for her as well."
As for the race itself, Hartman says that the race was "pretty amazing" and "surreal."
"It shows that my hard work has paid off towards everything that I've put in towards my training and also getting my horse ready for this race every year."
Hartman hopes to be able to take part in future instalments of the Wild Cowgirls Race for years to come.
