Gerald Cooper sadly left a void in our ranching community when he passed last winter. “Coop” was a popular and colourful cowboy who mastered the art of horsemanship, stock handling and storytelling. Raised in Kamloops with a horse breaking dad, Coop spent his early years working for local ranchers and arrived in the Nicola Valley in 1965 to work at Nicola Ranch and for over six decades worked at most large and small ranches in our valley. Always a fan of rodeo and a competitive roper, Coop also spent many years volunteering right here in front of the bucking chutes. Living and working his entire life with First Nations People, Coop was a close friend to many folks from our local band communities. Along with these jobs and friendships he became one of our valley’s most famous storytellers. We salute one of our valley’s most colourful characters and raise a glass to one of a kind... To Coop.
Born in B.C. to a horse breaking father and a hard working mom, Terry developed a love and understanding of horsemanship early in life. Raised in many rural places like the SX ranch in the Nicola Valley, with stints in Bralorne and Goldbridge, Terry broadened his skills to include packing, mining and cutting cordwood. Shoeing school in California and a brief daylong job delivering homemade pies helped round out his skills. Twenty years at Douglas Lake Ranch, three tours at Gang Ranch and jobs at Empire Valley and Beaver Ranch produced a master stockman and horse breaker who also is an accomplished leather and saddle maker. He found his greatest fulfilment as a clinician for colt starting and helping problem horses. Tip your hat to a long time resident of our Nicola Valley and a working cowboy who checks all the boxes of our ranching heritage.