The 68th North Thompson Fall Fair and Rodeo (NTFFRA) is now a part of Barriere’s history books. The annual event came off without a hitch over the Labour Day Weekend, and attendees went home with good memories and full tummies from all the tasty food offered up by a nice selection of vendors. The big parade on Saturday morning saw 30 entries travel along Barriere Town Road to the fairgrounds and into the rodeo arena on arrival. Dignitaries including Chief Nathan Matthew, MP Cathy McLeod, MLA Peter Milobar, District of Barriere Mayor Virginia Smith, and District of Clearwater Acting Mayor Ken Kjenstad welcomed the visitors to the North Thompson and to Barriere. Newly crowned NTFFRA Ambassador Emma Hamblin and Vice-Ambassador Payden Irving had the honour of officially opening the fair. NTFFRA president Jill Hayward told the audience, “We started housing evacuated livestock due to the wildfires in the fairgrounds here on July 7, and by July 18 we had 378 animals under our care. By the time all of the animals that have been housed here during the evacuations go home we will have cared for approximately 540, with all of the work being done by volunteers, and the feed and expenses looked after by donations from generous and caring folks like yourselves.” Hayward went on to say that the fairgrounds went right from their big July 1 celebration and Regional Logging Competition into the care of evacuated animals and then into the producing of the 68th annual fall fair event. “It’s been a lot of work for everyone, but we are extremely pleased to welcome everyone here, and to thank all those who volunteered or supported us through these two months.” Hayward commented last Monday that the huge cloud of smoke that blew into the Barriere area from the Cariboo on Saturday afternoon about 6 p.m., “really made my heart stop”. “All I could think of was “If this smoke doesn’t dissipate by tomorrow our fair is dead”. When I got up at 5 a.m. on Sunday morning I couldn’t believe it when I saw the blue sky and sunshine. We were so very fortunate that we had three glorious days for this year’s event.” Was it a good fair? “Oh, yes,” said Hayward, “ Numbers of attendees were down a little, but that was to be expected with the highway closures and our Cariboo friends having such difficulties with the wildfires. But, the fair was a good one, and we are already planning what our 69th event will be all about. Thank you to everyone who supports us, volunteers, or comes as a visitor – we wouldn’t be here without each and every one of you.”
