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

The biggest event of the year in Grande Prairie is Stompede!

It goes May 29 to June 2 at Evergreen Park.

It includes professional chuckwagon races and professional rodeo, pony chucks beer gardens, midway, art contest and much more!

For ticket and other information visit their website at https://gpstompede.com/

A brunch buffet for just $15 from 1-3 p.m. is one of the highlights of Kentucky Derby Day at the Wild Horse Casino & Lounge Saturday, May 4.

There will also be special Derby drinks and prizes to be won.

The ladies are encouraged to wear their fancy hats ... and the men too!

For more information phone the lounge at 780-532-3265.

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.

The fun starts Thursday (Sept. 7) with the opening of Blachford Field Of Nightmares – scare you to be there!

It is open 9 p.m. to midnight, but later if there is a lineup at midnight.

Cost is $20 per person. Please bring cash.

Blachford Field Of Nightmares is located about a half kilometre east, on the left side, from the intersection of Hwy. 668 and Resources Road. Look for the Field Of Nightmares sign.

If you are in the city head south on 98th Street until you hit the lights at Hwy. 668 and turn east. If you are on the west side of the city head south on Hwy. 40 and turn east at the lights at the Hwy. 668 intersection.

Build up some courage before, or settle the nerves after, by visiting the Wild Horse Casino & Lounge at the Park. Wild Horse is open until 1 a.m. every day.

Have you ever seen a sloth?

Here’s your chance at the Wildlife Festival, which goes Sept. 8-10 in the TARA Centre at Evergreen Park.

There are three exhibits – Diversity of Living Things, This is Africa and Journey To the Amazon and two half-hour hands-on educational programs.

It goes Friday 1-6:30 p.m. for general audiences with an adults-only education and comedy show from 7-9 p.m. Saturday doors are open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Purchase tickets in advance online at:  https://www.tickettailor.com/events/wildlifefestival/976230

The Evergreen Park Pavilion – Lewis Hawkes and Drysdale Arenas – will be busy with the Peace Country Barrel Racing Association championships.

Friday things get underway at 9 a.m. with opening riding and first go at noon. On Saturday second go starts at 10 a.m. with the AGM and social/bar at 5 p.m. On Sunday the third go starts at 9 a.m.

There is no admission fee.  Check out the Peace Barrel Racing Association Facebook page for more information.

There were several story lines at the final day of racing at The Horses At Evergreen Park on Sunday, August 27.

 And trainer Kathy McNally was in the middle of a couple of them.

 McNally, from Grande Prairie, trains Big Cyn (photo above in red) and High Kelly Babe.

 Both horses were winners on the final day.

 Big Cyn won the Mr. Mike’s Paint The Park Purple – Race For The Cure Stakes and first place money of $4,637 out of a total of $8,750 available.

Big Cyn, owned by Tracie Gillis and ridden by Garfield Gordon, broke out at the start, set the pace and kept to task en route to the win by ¾ of a length in a field of five horses. Causin Mischief was second and Just Class third in the six furlongs run.

In what was one of the more heartwarming wins of the season, Evergreen Park Racing Club horse High Kelly Babe, trained by McNally, finished her racing career with a victory in Race 6 taking home $3,445 of the $6,500 purse.

High Kelly Babe, over the six furlongs, stalked the pace, found some stretch and prevailed against five other horses. She finished 1 ½ lengths ahead of runner-up Quality Plus, who finished a neck in front of third place finisher Cmon Sharon.

The Club horse had two wins, a third, sixth and seventh in five races in 2023 and overall after two years of racing had three wins, two seconds and two third after 14 starts and career earnings of $12,265.

Babe has been sold and retired from racing and will start her new life on a farm in the Peace  Country.

The other Club horse, Ynotgiveitago, will continue racing and will be at Rocky Mountain Turf Club in Lethbridge for the fall racing season.

There was another double-race going into the weekend – for Top Jockey and Top Trainer.

Trevor Simpson ended up the top rider from the summer racing season with 12 wins, five seconds and four thirds.

Early on Sunday it looked like Larris Allen was going to give Simpson a run with a win and second in the first two races to Simpson’s second in the third, but in Race 4 Allen was tossed off his horse in the stretch and his race day was done. Neither Allen or the horse, Unusual Account, were seriously injured, but Allen was shaken up enough not to be able to ride the rest of the day.

Lyle Magnuson had a win, second and a fourth and walked away with the Top Trainer award. Garry Marks and Travis Robson were trailing Magnuson by two wins heading into the weekend and they each picked up one victory, both falling two wins short.

The 13-day race card was also a big success for Evergreen Park. Over 13 race days $1,520,283 was wagered averaging $116,944 per race day and $17,677 per race.

The final day was called Mr. Mike’s Paint The Park Purple – Race For The Cure, which is a fundraiser for the fight against pancreatic cancer.

Winner of the 50/50 was Jade Prime of Grande Prairie with ticket number B-2428. She took home half the pot of $4,810.

The day also included the Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum Dino Derby.

The Horses At Evergreen Park will return for another season of live pari-mutuel horse racing in July 2024.