HOW TO WIN
We’re giving our rodeo fans three chances to win tickets to see Cody Johnson LIVE at Rogers Arena on September 11!
2 tickets will be auctioned off at our VIP Dinner on Friday, September 4.
2 tickets will be given away Sunday evening at the Train Station Saloon.
2 tickets will be given away Monday during our Jam Session at the Train Station Saloon.
2026 Special Community Involvement
VWS Partners with the Golden Circle of Champions
Honouring Courage, Celebrating Champions
The Golden Circle of Champions is dedicated to honoring children and their families through the spirit of rodeo. We provide unique experiences, heartfelt connections, and lasting memories for those facing medical challenges.
This year, meet six-year old twins, Weston and Bennett. Both were diagnosed with leukemia, one at two years of age and the other at four.
When Alisha Openshaw’s son, Weston, was around two, he
started to get sick — all the time.
It was a constant rota of infection, recovery and then a new
infection, and Alisha could feel that a diagnosis was on the
horizon for her child.
“Obviously, your mind never goes to cancer. It's a fleeting moment
of, ‘Could this be cancer? No, that's so unrealistic.’ And then
you shift your mindset,” Openshaw tells PEOPLE.
In April of 2022, the Openshaws received an official diagnosis for Weston, then 1: acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
“I really knew nothing about leukemia,” Openshaw recalls of finding out about her son’s diagnosis. “I knew it was a cancer, but I didn't know what treatment looked like or what the prognosis was, so it was just terrifying to hear that your kid has cancer.”
After being transferred to the local children’s hospital in Vancouver and meeting with an oncologist, Alisha made sure to ask point-blank: if leukemia was a cancer of the blood, and what were his identical twin brother's chances of developing the same cancer?
Alisha says she was told 20%. “But at the time, I didn't really have the mental capacity or emotional capacity to even entertain that idea that possibly they could both get this diagnosis," she remembers.
Weston started treatment the same day, beginning to receive chemotherapy in the hospital. After the first few months of chemotherapy, Alisha says, Weston was able to go home and do treatment while going back and forth from the hospital. Once Weston was able to come home, Alisha finally let her mind wander toward the possibility that his brother, Bennett, could also be diagnosed.
Nearly four months after Weston’s diagnosis, the family received
Bennett’s.
After Weston completed his treatment in October of 2024 and Bennett in August, the pair started kindergarten — having otherwise been unable to attend preschool throughout their treatment.
Though the transition was daunting for Alisha, who had spent every waking and sleeping moment with her sons for the last three years, she says it was “beautiful” to see how the two thrived in school.
"There was this one quote that I held in my mind or just that kept popping up in my mind throughout the course of their treatment," she explains. "The saying, 'Grow from it.' I just kept telling myself, 'You have to grow from this. You have to grow from this. So we're going to get through it and we're going to grow from it.'"
Valley West Stampede is proud to partner with this special program recognizing young warriors facing life-threatening illnesses by connecting them with the rodeo community.
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Valley West Stampede is excited to host ALL STAR WRESTLING stars LIVE! All Star Wrestling is the past, present and future of Pro Wrestling in BC!
All-Star Wrestling
Our Spirit
We are a part of the local community driven to celebrate
Langley's equestrian roots
Valley West Stampede is a locally run family event that celebrates the culture of the American West. We're passionate about providing a fun, safe and respectful environment for both humans and animals.Our event features a variety of activities, from rodeo events to live music and more. We also offer a range of activities for children. Come join us at the Valley West Stampede to experience the wild, wild west!
What To Expect
Labour Day weekend, make Valley West Stampede your top destination for rodeo entertainment. As Langley's only professional rodeo, fully sanctioned by the CPRA, we offer thrilling events like Bull Riding, Barrel Racing, Bareback Riding, Mutton Busting, and Saddle Bronc Riding. Join us for a fun-filled day for the entire family. We ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all our guests and look forward to making your visit memorable.
Barrel Racing
This event requires control, attention to detail, and a close partnership between horse and rider. Competing against the clock, contestants circle three barrels in a cloverleaf pattern and race back across the scoreline.
Time is measured with an electronic eye timer, and a hundredth of a second can determine who wins. A rider may touch a barrel, but if she knocks one over a five-second penalty is added to her total time.
It requires a combination of the horse's athletic ability and the horsemanship skills of a rider in order to safely and successfully maneuver around the three barrels places in a triangle pattern.
Saddle Bronc Riding
Saddle bronc is a rodeo event involving a rodeo participant riding a bucking horse that attempts to throw or buck off the rider.
Originally based on the necessary buck breaking skills of a working cowboy, the event is now a highly stylized competition that utilizes horses that are specially bred for strength, agility, and bucking ability.
The standard riding equipment consists of a hornless saddle and a plain halter with a 6-foot (1.8-metre) braided rein.
To make a qualifying score, the contestant must leave the chute with their spurs above the shoulders of the horse; the contestant’s feet must remain in the stirrups, and the contestant’s free hand cannot touch the horse, the saddle, or the contestant’s body. The cowboy holds on to a braided rein that is connected to the horse’s halter, using it to help balance himself.
Event scoring combines a total of up to 50 points a piece for horse and rider; winning scores typically exceed 80 combined points, while 85 or above represents a superior ride.
Bareback Riding
Bareback riding is a horse riding event adopted into rodeos in the 1950’s.
The rider must stay on 8 seconds and the event scoring combines a total of up to 50 points a piece for horse and rider; winning scores typically exceed 80 combined points, while 85 or above represents a superior ride.
The main difference between saddle bronc and bareback, is in bareback there is no saddle. The cowboy holds onto the standard Bascom rigging, a single riveted handhold, or “suitcase handle.” The cowboy must move with the rhythm of the horse. The stress on the cowboy’s arm is the most intense, as it absorbs most of the horse's power.
The contestant must spur the animal over the shoulders as it leaves the chute. He then pulls his feet back up toward the rigging in a spurring motion. The higher the spurs, the higher the score. The contestant’s free hand must not touch the animal, the rigging or the contestant’s own body.
This event uses horses who are specially bred for strength, agility, and bucking ability.
Bull Riding
In bull riding, cowboys engage in a test of nerves against a bull.
A thick braided bullrope, complete with handhold, is wrapped around the bull and weighed down by a cowbell that allows the rope to fall when the ride is over. The rope is only kept tight by the bull rider’s grip.
Bull riding has been called "the most dangerous eight seconds in sports."
To receive a score, the rider must stay on top of the bull for eight seconds with the use of one hand gripped on a bull rope and the other free hand held above the riders head.
Touching the bull or themselves with the free hand, or failing to reach the eight-second mark, results in a no-score ride.
A perfect score is 100 points. In general, most professional riders score in the neighborhood of the mid-70s to the high 80s.
The cowboy isn’t required to move his feet—staying on is hard enough—but if he does spur, he gets higher marks.
Mutton Busting
A crowd favourite!
In mutton bustin', a sheep is held still, either in a chute or by an adult handler while a child is placed on top in a riding position. Once the child is seated atop the sheep, and holding on, the sheep is released and usually starts to run in an attempt to get the child off.
Prizes are given out to the children who can stay on the longest.
The majority of children participating in the event fall off in less than 8 seconds.
Age, height and weight restrictions of participants prevent injuries to the sheep, and spurs are banned from use.
Children are required to wear helmets and appropriate gear, while having a guardian present.
We start young in rodeo and that is how we keep the interest and sport alive
Bit-A-Bling Grand Entry Team
Come see a passionate and professional group of cowgirls open the rodeo. This grand entry team is a founding partner of the Valley West Stampede and a long standing participant in the Cloverdale Rodeo held annually May long weekend!
Meet the Board of Directors
The Valley West Stampede is a rodeo hosted by a board of Directors who are a group of volunteers who collectively share over 100 years of rodeo experience. We are all live in Langley and the Lower Mainland and are proud to bring the excitement of the wild west to the local community.
We strive to provide a safe and family-friendly atmosphere for all of our guests and participants. We are dedicated to upholding the traditional values of the rodeo and ensure that all performances are conducted in a respectful and professional manner.
Sheila Hicks
Les Doiron
Joe Hicks
Shannon Claypool
Dale Saip
Rich Kitos
Paul Caravetta
Valley West Stampede Ltd. was created to organize and operate the Valley West Stampede event in Langley, BC.
The Langley Riders Society, established in 1965, is a non-profit organization that offers a fun, learning environment for horse enthusiasts of all ages. Visit Langley Riders Society for more information.
Meet Our Official Rodeo Photographers
Photographer Sean Libin is a professional photographer based in Calgary. His eye for capturing the perfect moment is unparalleled, and he has an intimate knowledge of the rodeo entertainment scene. Sean specializes in action photography, capturing the spirit and energy of any event. His work has been featured in many notable publications, and the Valley West Stampede is appreciative of his talents. Although it pains us to admit it, we don't hold it against him that he's a Calgary Flames fan.
Ron McCarthy is the Langley Riders club photographer, and a CPRA photographer.
Ron is a seasoned veteran of the Rodeo scene and has been actively covering for the PRCA for several years.
We are grateful for Ron’s participation with the Valley West Stampede. Ron is also the official photographer of the Langley Riders Society HERE!
