Evergreen Park Racing Club 2017 is in the books . . . and the 2018 version is officially underway.

The Evergreen Park board, on Wednesday, officially approved the formation of Evergreen Park Racing Club 2018.

The decision to continue the Club was no doubt made easier by the success of the first-ever racing club in 2017.

Evergreen Park General Manager Dan Gorman made the announcement about the 2018 Club at the 2017 Club windup at Evergreen Park on Thursday night at Badger Stadium at the Park.

It was not just a great year for the Club, but for The Horses At Evergreen Park as well, said Gorman.

Gorman revealed there was a 58 per cent increase in the handle at The Horses At Evergreen Park this year over 2016 . . . and some of that can be attributed to the Evergreen Park Racing Club 2017.

Club horses raced during the July-August pari-mutuel schedule seven times and each time a Club horse was featured Club members came out in droves. Attendance, especially among the younger demographic, was up overall over the season.

Gorman also said the fact there were more and fuller races was a factor in the increased interest and handle. Evergreen Park provided free sawdust bedding for all of the 350-plus horses over the summer and, says Gorman, that encouraged more owners to bring horses to Grande Prairie for the summer.

Most weekends there were over 20 races and most of those races had six to eight horses in each of them.

Full race cards create more interest, more betting and a better handle.

It was also announced on Thursday that each 2017 Club member, a total of 106 of them, would be getting a cheque for $136.80.

Racing Club manager Norm Tremblay, who has owned horses for years, said being able to give Club members a return at the end of a racing season is somewhat unusual. Tremblay (left) is shown in the photo with the first 2018 members - Jan and Joe Gass - and Gorman on the right.

It was announced Thursday that Tremblay will be returning as manager for 2018 and the Club will also be retaining the services of renowned trainer Robertino Diodoro to help the Club “scout” for horses for 2018.

"I would like to thank and congratulate our Club members," said Tremblay. "And to thank Evergreen Park for the support.

"I also want to thank Allen Goodsell (assistant trainer to head trainer Robertino Diodoro) and his team for the horse care and training.”

Tremblay said the Club will likely purchase at least two more thoroughbreds and could upgrade somewhat this year for better quality horses.

Improving on the 2017 numbers would be impressive.

Club horses were in the money – first, second or third – over 70 per cent of the time and won 44 per cent of the time. The best numbers of any owners at Evergreen Park this past summer.

Red N Black Attack raced four times at Evergreen Park and won twice; Xtreme Spell raced twice and was first once; and the third Club horse that appeared at The Horses At Evergreen Park, Dman Doughty, was in the gates once and finished fifth. Another Club horse, Command The Land, raced twice under Club colors at Northlands Park in Edmonton and won once, but was claimed in that winning race and didn’t appear in Grande Prairie.

Tremblay said the 2018 Club horses may again train in Edmonton before venturing to Grande Prairie for the summer season.

For many of the Club members it was their first experience with the sport.

“It was so much fun following our horses and learning about racing,” said Club member Garett Dika, who had never been involved in the sport. “I didn’t get out to many races, but kept on top of it through the Evergreen Park website and the Club Facebook page. It was a lot of fun.”

Dika said he had no idea what a claiming race was until Command The Land was lost to another owner in the spring.

“It was explained to me that’s horse racing. It’s a way to keep things honest and even and I’m all for that. I found out a lot about the sport and I’m looking forward to being a member again in 2018.”

At the windup Thursday many of the 2017 Club members who were in attendance signed up to be part of the 2018 club. Jan Gass was the first returnee and her husband, Joe, the first new recruit for 2018.

Anyone wanting to join the Club can do so in several ways.

It can be done online at www.evergreenpark.ca or by picking up a registration form at the Evergreen Park administration offices in the ENTREC Centre; at the Pines Restaurant & Casino; or by contacting the Park at 780-532-3279 and having a membership for sent.

For more information on the Club contact Tremblay at 780518-7914.

The 2017 The Horses At Evergreen Park season ended with purple Frisbees being tossed at a purple tractor tire on August 27, but things also came to an end with lots of smiles.

Mr. Mike’s Paint The Park Purple – Race For The Cure was the final event after 22 days and eight weekends of racing at Gordon Badger Stadium and the smiling was done by more than just the winner of the Frisbee toss.

The entire season was a success – good crowds and an increased handle.

The only downer was the fact one day of racing had to be cancelled because of a smoke hazard caused by the forest fires in British Columbia. For the most part, all of the other races were held under sunny skies and warm weather conditions.

Highlight of the season was the Alberta Derby at Evergreen Park, held on Sunday, Aug. 30. That event drew the largest crowd in two years following a rainy 2016 Derby Day.

The fact that over 350 horses ventured to Evergreen Park for the season was also a plus. Pretty much every night at least five and for the most part six, seven or eight horses left the starting gate for each race. And there were plenty of races with the minimum being six topping out at 10. One weekend there were 25 races over the three days.

The 2017 Mr. Mike’s Paint The Park Purple Stakes was won by Beach Premier. Jockey Larry Munoz was on board. The horse is trained by Floyd Arthur and owned by Excel Farms.

Blandford Stewart ended up the top jockey when the dust had settled at the end of the season and Lyle Magnuson was the top trainer.

Another success at the Park was the first Evergreen Park Racing club 2017. Over 100 people signed up to be “owners” and three times they got to make an appearance in the winner’s circle – twice with Red N Black Attack and once with Extreme Spell. A horse the Club had purchased, Command The Land, also won a race at Northlands Park in Edmonton. In that race he was claimed so the Club lost him, but members still enjoyed following the horse as he ran all summer in Edmonton.

The Club horses have been sold and could make appearances at Edmonton or Lethbridge in the fall.

The 2017 version of the Club will be dissolved soon with owners receiving their share of any profits and Evergreen Park Racing Club 2018 will created and, no doubt, looking forward to The Horses At Evergreen Park next season.

Local racing fans can continue to watch, and wager, on the horses at the Pines Restaurant & Casino. There are 11 screens and two self-bettors in the facility.

32ND SHOW ANOTHER SUCCESS

By SVJETLANA MLINAREVIC

 Daily Herald-Triune

There is nothing more enjoyable for adults than watching children play the role of an adult, as well, there is nothing more exciting for a child than taking on the role of a grown-up. This was the case at this year’s Peace Country Classic Agri-Show children’s auction and workshop, said Agri-Show president Sonja Raven.

“I think they like it because they’re getting a chance to try something that’s grown-up, but for stuff they can relate to. They’re bidding on stuff they would want and they get a feel of, ‘I’ve seen Dad or I’ve seen Mom bid for stuff – look at me, I can do the same thing.’

“Everybody is always fascinated with that auctioneer patter and to learn what the tricks are to that, it’s like, ‘Oooh, I’ve got a really cool skill that most of my friends won’t have.’ I think it’s the novelty and it’s just exciting! You look at those kids and it’s just awesome.”

Despite the freezing temperatures this year, Raven said the show went exceptionally well with vendor slots selling out both indoors and outdoors.

“Despite the horribly cold weather, that made it a little challenging for our outdoor exhibitors, but they still said it was good and in speaking with a number of vendors inside, they were really pleased with it. They said there was really good traffic and they were really happy they came.”

As for attendees, Raven said the overall impression was that there were more people visiting the show this year than last. She attributed the rise in attendance to a diversity in programming.

“People are starting to realize that it’s not just a farmer show. It’s an agriculture show, but there’s things for everybody, there’s stuff for whoever wants to be kicking the tires can kick the tires and the rest of the family can (do what they want). There’s stuff for kids, there’s stuff for spouses. I think it’s that diversity (that makes it popular) and the kids auction was a huge success.”

As for urbanites coming out to the show, Raven said there was strong showing of city folk, but rural visitors still comprised the majority of attendees. First and foremost the event is an agriculture show which means the emphasis will be on the rural components, but she said there are components that might be interesting to urbanites such as the petting zoo, the horse show, the bull sale, and agricultural information sessions.

One of the draws of the Agri-Show is the bull sale which draws both urban and rural watchers. Out of 75 bulls sold, this year’s top bull, a Simmental, went for $15,500, from Willow Creek Farms; the average bid in the auction was $6,776.

Willow Creek’s top selling bull was followed by a JayDawn Farms’ Simmental for $15,000 and a Charolais for $10,000. The two farms have been selling their bulls at the Agri-Show for 14 years.

“It was very successful with lots of probably record number of bidders registered. It was very good,” said JayDawn Farms owner Jason McQuaig, attributing the success of the sale to the cattle industry being in an upswing, good advertising, a good payment plan, discounts, and extensive delivery service.

“We stand behind our product and guarantee our product, which is very, very important and local support is outstanding that we get from all our neighbours and people from the north.”

Raven said planning for next year will begin once the board has a chance to meet in the next couple of weeks.

“I think it’ll be a really good, fruitful discussion. We’re very pleased with how it went this year,” she said.