Heritage Gather Festival hitting Dunmore Equestrian Centre
By SAMANTHA JOHNSON, Special to the News on July 19, 2022.
Be sure to head out to the Dunmore Equestrian Centre from August 5-7 for the first Heritage Gather Festival. The Gather was brought to Brooks last year by Rugged Rodeo Inc. and Dunmore liked the format so much they decided to bring one here. Cathy Schnell, director on the board of the Dunmore Equestrian Centre, said, “it will definitely be inclusive for everybody. It showcases Indigenous culture and Western heritage.” Beer gardens kick off the weekend when they open at 2 p.m. on Friday. The first event will be the James Hargrave Memorial Ranch Scramble at 3 p.m. The event is being presented by the Dunmore Equestrian Centre, Rugged Rodeo Inc., and friends and family of Hargrave (1983-2017). The poster for the event states, “his love and appreciation for Western heritage, ranching and community was inspirational.” The Scramble will run again on Saturday with the top six teams from each day qualifying for the Wild Cow Milk during the open rodeo under the lights. At 5:45 p.m. is a Pow Wow, followed by Indian Relay Races at 6 p.m. The night rodeo begins at 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and there will be a cabaret on both nights at 10 p.m. with live music from local band Phoenix on Friday and Mahoney on Saturday. On Saturday, there will also be a chore team demonstration with “heavy horse teams showing what our forefathers did how they would farm and ranch,” said Schnell. Saturday and Sunday afternoon will also feature a buffalo act by a man who raised and trained an orphan bison. The night rodeo will feature breakaway roping with a breakaway roping jackpot on Sunday at 9 a.m. The weekend ends with a kids rodeo at 1 p.m. Sunday. Tepees, Indigenous art and beadwork, food trucks and much more will also be onsite. For more information, full schedule, and prices, see the Facebook pages for the Dunmore Equestrian Centre or Rugged Rodeo Inc. Anyone who would like to sponsor the event or volunteer, can email admin@dunmoreequestrian.com. “The more community members we have the easier it’s going to be,” said Schnell. 12-11
