By Craig Beauchemin

Battlefords Ag Society ready for chuckwagon race

Jun 2, 2016 | 12:29 PM

With summer in full swing, the summer sports scene is beginning to take shape in the Battlefords.

The first race of the 2016 Canadian Professional Chuckwagon Association (CPCA) season takes place in North Battleford starting tomorrow, June 3 and running through Sunday, June 5.

Thirty-six wagons and over 600 horses will be at the Battlefords Agriculture Society as the races take place over the course of the weekend.

“The biggest thing (we had to do) was get the track ready,” Jocelyn Ritchie, general manager of the Ag Society, said. “We have to make sure there’s enough sand on it, no water and all the rocks are picked. We have to make sure all four turns are approximately the same angle because the biggest obstacle is the horses getting hurt on the track.”

Ritchie said the excitement within the society is palpable considering this is the first race is on the circuit, so everyone will get the first look at all the racers for the upcoming season.

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“Riders are going to earn their first points on their way to the Calgary Stampede,” Ritchie explained. “It’s like a big village out here once you get all the people here. They all bring 15 to 20 horses per unit. Per heat there are three wagons and they all do one lap around the track.”

Along with all the racers and horses, Ritchie said these races bring fans from near and far to watch the entire event and camp out, which has a big impact on the local economy.

“It’s amazing, it’s really big all across Canada and we get spectators that follow the circuit,” she said. “We get a lot of people who will be camping out here which is a great benefit to us as well as the community. All these people spend money at restaurants, some stay at hotels and buy fuel. It’s just a great tourism event.”

The CPCA also has events in places such as Lloydminster, Meadow Lake, Turtleford and Onion Lake this season.

Daily passes are $15 for adults and $10 for youth, while a full three-day pass can be purchased for $40 by adults and $20 for students. Children five and under are free. The action begins at 6:30 p.m. Friday night.

Email: cjnbsports@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @craig_beauch