Daryl Mills
Competitor

Daryl Mills started his rodeo career in 1987 as the BC High School Rodeo Champion in
Bull Riding and Bareback, representing BC at the National High School Finals Rodeo in
Pueblo, CO. 1989 saw him as the FCA and NRA Bull Riding Champion in the amateur
leagues moving onto professional rodeo world, in the CPRA in 1990. In his first year he
won both the Rookie of the Year and the Canadian Bull Riding Champion.

1991 Daryl was sidelined due to injury, to return in 1992 as the CPRA Bull Riding
Champion and qualifier for the NFR in Vegas. 1993 saw Daryl again at the NFR winning
the Bull Riding average, falling just $95.26 short of winning the world title. 1994 Daryl did
win the World Champion Bull Riding at the NFR. Having achieved his rodeo goals, Daryl
retired as a competitor after the 10th round of the NFR. 2002 Daryl received the PBR Ring
of Honour for his contributions to the founding of the Professional Bull Riders (PBR)
Association in 1992. 2006 Daryl was inducted into the Canadian Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame
for his excellence in rodeo.

Daryl & Bonnie’s children have followed in their Dad’s footsteps as Rodeo Competitors
bringing Daryl back into the rodeo world and for the past 13 years has been key in building
and growing the BC High School Rodeo Association, holding such key positions as President
and National Director, retiring in 2024. Daryl’s rodeo knowledge and integrity have been a
huge part of the betterment of rodeo and cowboy sports in BC and will continue to be for years to
come.

Melvin (Merv) Churchill
Builder of Western Culture

Melvin was born in Vernon, BC on November 17, 1941. The Churchill family has managed the Falkland Stampede for most of its 105-year history, beginning with his uncle Homer in the 1940’s. Merv for the 60’s though till 1991, Jason, his son for most of the 2000’s and granddaughter Melissa for the last six years. Merv began his involvement with Falkland Stampede in 1955 at the age of 14 when he put on a barn dance in his parent’s barn to raise money to build new corrals at the rodeo ground. He competed for a short time in bull riding winning Merritt rodeo in 1963 and Falkland in 1961. He left the competition side of rodeo to become rodeo manage in Falkland and continued as such until 1991. He was still counted on as an adviser until his passing on November 24, 2024. In 1982 the Canadian Pro Rodeo Association named him Committee Person of the Year. He spent two terms as a director on the CPRA board and many years as the BC Rep for the CPRA. In 2013 he was awarded the Queens Diamond Jubilee medal for his commitment to the sport of rodeo and to his community of Falkland and in 2013 was named to the Canadian Rodeo Hall of Fame in the “Builder” category. He lived his entire life in Falkland on a small ranch and was a local businessman. He was not a working cowboy, nor did he make the majority of his income from ranching, but he was without a
doubt a builder of the Sport of Rodeo.

Gene Allen
Builder of Western Culture

Saddle Bronc Rider, Steer Wrestler, Rodeo Organizer, BCRA President and ultimately Rodeo Stock
Contractor are just some of the titles Gene Allen has held over the years. Gene was instrumental in re-
starting the Kispiox Rodeo back in the ‘60’s and the rodeo has been going strong ever since.
Gene competed in the IRA, NRA, YRCA, the BCRA and in the NARC world finals. His love for good bucking
horses led him to begin his own bucking horse breeding program in the Mid 70’s which became GJ Rodeo
Stock Contractors. Their quality horses performed in some of the worlds’ largest rodeos, including
Houston, TX, Calgary Stampede, Ponoka and Williams Lake over 45 years, winning many championships
along the way.

Gene and Joy raised “cowboy friendly” horses that were genetically bred to buck. Along with raising these
great horses, they ran many rough stock rodeo schools throughout the province and took many cowboys
under their wings, housing and feeding them to get them started on their rodeo careers.
Gene served on several rodeo Boards, including the BCRA, as a director and President. He was presented
with both the Lifetime Achievement Award and the Rodeo Person of theYear award within the BCRA. In
2022 at the Canadian Finals Rodeo he was presented w