Dunmore Equestrian Centre ready for jampacked Heritage Gather

By Samantha Johnson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on July 12, 2023.

reporter@medicinehatnews.com

Dunmore Equestrian Centre is holding Heritage Gather 2023 this coming weekend, starting on Friday and running through Sunday. This is the second Heritage Gather at the centre and the association has made a few changes.

“We are really doing everything we can to make it a lot more successful this year,” stated Kelly Creasy, president of the Dunmore Equestrian Association. “We raised our prize money to bring in more competitors. We have $2,000 added in all the major events and we have people coming from across Alberta and into Montana to compete.”

This year, there will be a finals rodeo on the Sunday for the top six competitors in each of the major events.

The memorial ranch scramble looks like it will be another popular event this year.

“We were the first to try it and it seemed to be really successful. We have a little more money added in there and we have 16 teams entered right now and that will start as 9 a.m. on Saturday,” said Creasy.

Last year the ranch scramble was spread over two days. This year, all 16 teams will compete Saturday and the top 10 will go again on Sunday, with the top six competing in the cow milking later that day.

“The ranch scramble consists of a four-person team competition. Teams have up to eight minutes to complete all five events. These events are more of the basic day to day things that will happen on the ranch,” explained director Cathy Schnell.

The five events consist of the following: getting one steer in a trailer with the door shut, getting a steer in a pen with the door latched, a steer roped and on its side ready to be branded (the team does not have to brand the steer, but only go through the motions), a steer roped and on its side for doctoring and one roped and then three legs tied.

The events can be done in any order and different members of the team can work on separate events.

“Once the last event is completed, all team members and their horses must be back across the finish line before the tied steer can stand up for the time to stop,” said Schnell. “With all team members chasing steers around the arena at the same time, there is always something going on. This event depicts skills of modern ranch life and the skills of pioneer cowboys on the open range.”

There will be sheep riding all three days for the younger folks.

“We would love for all the kids to come out and ride a sheep,” said Creasy.

Another change this year is camping will be offered free of charge.

“It will be dry camping, but you can bring your camper out, pay for admission to see the show and then hang out all weekend,” said Creasy.

Temperatures are expected to be in the high 20s and low 30s for the duration of Heritage Gather 2023, so bring lots of water if you plan to attend. More information on Indigenous and other events taking place during the weekend will be in an upcoming issue of the News.

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