Ducks Unlimited Canada is proud to host the first ever Wetland Innovation Workshop! Join them on Wed Sep 25 2024, at 8:30 AM at the Boreal Wetland Centre at Evergreen Park for a day of learning and networking. Dive into the world of boreal wetland conservation and discover the latest innovations in the field. Connect with like-minded individuals and experts from industry, government, consultants, Indigenous communities, research academia, construction, and non-profits. Don't miss out on this exciting event! 

Presenters at the workshop will include representatives from Ducks Unlimited Canada, the Natural Resource Canada’s Northern Forestry Centre, NAIT’s Centre for Boreal Research, the County of Grande Prairie No. 1, Indigitech Destiny, Ruskin Construction, and the Mighty Peace Watershed Alliance. A detailed agenda will be released closer to the event.

Snacks and coffee/drinks will be served throughout the day. Lunch will be provided in the afternoon. Please bring your own water bottle to refill and dress for the weather. Don't forget to bring your business cards!

Registration:

Please visit the registration page to secure your ticket for the event. To be added to the event email distribution list or for any questions regarding the event, contact Kailee Goertzen.

From September 19 to 22, the Alberta Hot Tub & Swim Spa Expo turns The TARA Energy Services Centre @ Evergreen Park into the ultimate marketplace for outdoor relaxation.

Join them 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day to explore over 30 models as five leading brands battle for your business in fierce competition.

Save up to $10,000 off Hot Tubs, and up to $25,000 off Swim Spas. Plus check out Saunas, Cold Plunges, Zero Gravity Massage Chairs all at blowout prices!

For more information visit their website at https://albertahottubexpo.ca/events/grande-prairie/

 The Horses at Evergreen Park 2024 is in the books and it was another great summer of racing at J.D.A. Raceway.

Fourteen of the 16 scheduled race days were completed. Two had to be cancelled because of a shortage of horses.

There was only one day (August 24) when weather might have been a problem, but the very forgiving J.D.A. track allowed all five races to be completed even though the wet stuff, which started the day before, kept coming down all day.

The Horses this year came very close to matching or beating the handle record of $1,520,283 set in 2023.

This year, according to stats man Jay Backwell, betters spent $1,496,417 over 97 races for an average of $106,866 per day – about $24,000 short of the record.

There were two stakes races on the final day – the Mr. Mike’s Paint The Park Purple – Race For The Cure and the J.D.A. Raceway Stakes.

Causin Micheif -  owned by Garry Marks, trained by  Darcy Peterson and Murray Reynolds and ridden by Garfield Gordon – was the easy winner over Loud Fusaichi and Landy Kyle in the four-horse race over six furlongs.

Marks pocketed the majority of the $15,750 in purse money.

The day, sponsored by Mr. Mike’s, was a an event to raise awareness about pancreatic cancer.

Garfield was back in the saddle for the J.D.A. Race pushing Saburo’s Grace (photo left in white) to a neck victory over Father O’Flaherty, with Orlando Foster on board, in a race that went over six furlongs with a purse of $16,050.

Foster had the last laugh, though, winning Top Jockey award for the Evergreen Park meet.

Lyle Magnuson, who was the Top Trainer of 2024, is Saburo’s Grace’s trainer while Barbara Norlander is the owner.

Lanny Mac finished third in that race while the Evergreen Park Racing Club horse Real Justice ended up sixth, but had a great season with two wins.

Many of the horses that spent the summer at Evergreen Park will finish up the season at the Rocky Mountain Turf Club over September and October.

Racing fans who want to continue to get their bet on off track can do so year-round at the Wild Horse Casino & Lounge, which is open until 1 a.m. daily.

Peace Draft Horse Club is hosting its Fall Fun Days, September 21-22 at Evergreen Park.

Start time is 10 a.m. in the outdoor arena.

Everyone is welcome. For more information contact Stevie 780-518-5214.

There was also an amazing brunch that started the day at The Horses At Evergreen Park on Sunday.

But, the highlight of Derby Day was the competition on J.D.A. Raceway featuring the GP Derby and GP Oaks.

A small field of four horses started the Derby and when it was over Shining Tiger (photo right) took the roses, and $14,310 in prize money in a race that had $26,190 up for grabs.

Jockey Anastasios Chalaris was on board for owner Khan Mohamad and trainer James Brown.

Shining Tiger, who’s previous eight starts in 2024 were at Century Mile in Edmonton and Turf Paradise in Arizona, finished 1 ¾ lengths ahead of Harbor Dance and 2 ½ in front of third place finisher Innocent Man.

The race was over 1 1/16 miles and was for three year olds. Shining Tiger finished the race in 1:50.47 - well off the record of 1:44.23 set by Regal Max in 2018.

A field of five fillies competed in the GP Oaks and it was local owner/trainer Tom Rycroft and his wife Carole who pocketed $14,575 for finishing first with Who’s That Baby. The Rycrofts now race out of Century Mile, where Who’s That Baby has good success this year with three seconds and a third.

Maramax, another horse out of Century Mile, was second by a head to Who’s That Baby while Kulsum, another Century Mile horse, was well back in third.

Jockey Jose Asencio was behind the reins of the winner in a race that went over a mile for three year olds. Who’s That Baby finished in 1:42.28, well back of the J.D.A. Raceway mile record of 1:37.40 set by Shootitinthebush in 2014.

HOOF BEATS: The Derby 50/50 was won by Leslie Vanterve of Beaverlodge. She took home half the pot of $2,715 … Fallen Lindstorm was chosen as the best-dressed female; Travis Brown won the prize for best-dressed male; and siblings Maylee and Andrew Sierens shared best-dress child. The adults are both from Grande Prairie and the kids Whitecourt … Simms, who competed in Race 7, is the son of Triple Crown winner America Pharoah. He finished fifth on Sunday in a field of six horses …. Racing continues next weekend including Baconfest on Sunday. First post is 1:15 p.m. both days.

 Evergreen Park is hosting its first Indigenous Celebration on June 8-9.

The two-day event will feature Indian Relay Racing and also include drummers, singers and dancers; tipis; Indigenous food; Indigenous arts and crafts; and more.

Peace Country residents will have a chance to see for themselves the extreme and intense Indian Relay Racing as it makes its first Grande Prairie appearance at J.D.A. Raceway at Evergreen Park.

Riding bareback and often decked out in traditional markings and attire, teams race around the track competing in a relay race with horse exchanges in front of the grandstand.

“The competitors relish being able to celebrate our culture’s history through this sport,” said relay racing spokesperson Kimberly Big Crow. “It ties into cultural education and connects the younger generation to their elders, which enhances skill-building and family values within our people.”

This event, Evergreen Park hopes, will be the start of a much larger annual Indigenous celebration and showcase at the Park.

“The Indigenous community is very important to us. We want to partner with our local First Nation and Mette settlements to build a showcase of Indigenous culture and heritage,” said Park General Manager Kim Randall. “The Indian relay races are truly a unique expression of the connection between Indigenous Culture and the Horse.”

Also competing, in flat races, will be Lady Warriors, Chiefs and Little Braves.

Alberta Indian Relay Racing is an organization that welcomes participants from all Nations with the largest network of Indian relay professionals in Canada focusing on the revitalization of the centuries-old sport.

“Indian Relay Racing has been a proud tradition for over 300 years,” said Big Crow. “Our mandate is to provide exposure not only for our culture and heritage, but to showcase the horsemanship of Indian Relay Racing teams … and also for fans to see firsthand what the sport of Indian Relay entails.”

The races start at 1 p.m. each day and doors open at noon.

General seating tickets and Aureus Energy Services 50/50 raffle tickets are available on the Evergreen Park website here. Admission tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for those 11 to 17 and 65 and over. Children 10 and under are free

There are also several sponsorship options. For information on sponsorships contact Evergreen Park Marketing & Sponsorship Manager Don Moon at 587-298-0548 or dmoon@evergreenpark.ca

For Information on the event:

 Kim Randall, GM, Evergreen Park

 kim@evergreenpark.ca

 780-532-3279

Unique Opportunity to hear Brett Gardiner LIVE! He IS the man behind the mic.

Sometimes life is tough and Brett gets it!

Come hear his story and more about the Chase the Good tour at Evergreen Park.

Brett will be speaking at the Foster’s Peace Country Classic Agri-Show on Friday, March 8 at 10 a.m. in the Chamber Room in the MD of Greenview North Wing of the TARA Centre.

Gardiner is the most-awarded announcer in Western sports history having been named the Canadian Pro Rodeo Announcer of the Year for the past 12 seasons.

He can be found behind the microphone at many rodeo events and is one of the most sought-after speakers in mental health, performance, and motivation.

Gardiner often speaks candidly about his mental health journey, and through his own lived experiences, he works to inspire and educate others to help them live their very best life. Together with his family, the Chase the Good movement was started to encourage humankind to chase what is good in the world.

You can find out more about him at his website here more about CLHbid at their website here and more about the Foster's Peace Country Classic Ag Show at the website here.

There is no pre-registration and no admission fee.

Evergreen Park is hosting Quick Dick McDick Comedy Night in the TARA Centre on Friday, Feb. 9.

The evening includes an Alberta beef buffet. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the meal goes 7-9 p.m. with the show to follow.

Tickets are $60 or $480 for a table and can be purchased here.

Dickson Delorme (born in 1983 or 1984) best known by his stage name Quick Dick McDick, is a Canadian farmer, comedian, and YouTuber. Delorme is based in Saskatchewan and produces videos about Canadian politics and farming issues. 

Delorme works as a farmer, based in Tuffnell, Sask. He previously worked in oil fields in Alberta in Brooks and Grande Prairie, mostly as a self-employed truck operator. His Small Town Comedy Tour toured Saskatchewan in 2021. 

He uses the pseudonym Quick Dick McDick on his YouTube channel, where has just under 80,000 subscribers. The channel includes content about farm safety, mental health, and charitable fundraising. 

You can follow him on YouTube; as well as on Facebook; and order his merchandise here.

The signage will be going up soon. And when it’s completed it will read: Neil’s RV Campground @ Evergreen Park.

The local RV service and repair company has taken over the naming rights for the camping facility at Evergreen Park – which started out as Stompede Campground and had been McGoverns RV & Marine Campground for the last several years.

The agreement with Neil’s is for five years. The company is owned by Jenn and Neil Dawe.

“Neil's RV decided to take on the naming rights at the campground because we feel it will be a good fit with our business model of progressing the camping lifestyle and encouraging more people to experience the outdoors,” Neil said. “When we first met campground manager Owen Terry, and his wife Velma, we were happy to see their excitement of bringing us on as sponsors of the campground and discussing what opportunities we can create to enhance the profile at the Park.”

Owen and Velma appreciate the hands-on approach Neil’s is planning.

“Velma and I are excited and look forward to having the Dawes and Neil's RV as sponsor of the campground,” Owen said. “The Dawes’ enthusiasm and approach about campground sponsorship will help make Neil's RV Campground @ Evergreen Park a place camper wants to visit.”

Jenn says Neil’s would like to be involved in social days at the Park where campers would be encouraged to get out and meet their neighbors with events like a poker rally, potluck nights, chili cook-offs and more.

 “We have also discussed potential seminars at the park on taking care of your RV or how-to sessions like winterizing and using and storing your RV,” she said.

 The campground is open from May 1 to September 30, but campers interested in booking for the 2024 season and one of the 70-plus camping sites can do so online through the Evergreen Park website at www.evergreenpark.ca

Call us out to lunch if you like, but for $10 you will be too!

The Wild Horse Casino & Lounge $10 Express Lunch has kicked off offering a different meal every day.

The Express Lunch goes 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday to Friday. It is available in the Wild Horse Lounge as well as the Pines Family Restaurant.