Parade a pleasure at Oak River
- Details
- Published on Thursday, July 20, 2017
By Sheila Runions
Rivers Banner
While Oak River holds a fair each year, they seldom have a parade, but to celebrate Canada 150, such an event was planned as part of the Monday, July 17 activities. It was long and colourful with plenty of candy, suckers, freezies and Canada flag pins tossed out windows or off flat decks.
A team of four judges gave out $400 in prize money, courtesy of RM of Oakview, with $50 for first and $30 for second. Winners were: Canada 150 theme, Blanshard CDC and Clack Family Heritage Museum; non-themed, Oak River Quick Freeze, Oak River Legion; antique tractors, Tom Ryall’s 1952 David Brown tug and Terry Espey’s collection of six John Deeres; antique vehicles, Ian/Beth McPhaden’s 1933 Plymouth and Allan Hyndman’s 1967 Mustang; livestock/other, Blanshard Holsteins and G-5 Farms. Comments heard at the fairgrounds later that morning were: “That was quite a parade!”, “It was a lot more than I expected,” and “Pretty good parade, hey?” Participants gathered at the driving range, travelled through town and ended at the fairgrounds/Oak River Memorial Rink. The parade was emceed by Darcy Heapy, who announced each float entry, whether business, organization or individual.
Once inside the rink, director Raeleen Vassart said, “Our horticulture is really down; the spring flowers are done and the vegetables are not ready.” Yet there were 26 fruit and vegetable entries in 12 categories, the most being seven potato submissions. Special privileges were granted this reporter to access the domestic display building before it opened to the public that afternoon. Of Margaret Sangster’s winning quilt, judge Carolynne Nickel was overheard remarking to director Ethel Bullock, “Look how she has O Canada written in here! And Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba; oh, it’s beautiful.” The dark red and cream quilt’s focal point is a map of Canada which has assorted animal appliques quilted in the provinces, oceans and sky. Phat squares surrounding the centre are machine stitched with our national anthem lyrics and the quilt’s border is stitch-edged with names of all provinces and territories.
The annual pet show was varied with each contestant winning a prize; the three judges awarded three ties when a couple categories had duplicate entries. There were hedgehogs (one pair), cats, dogs (small and large), snakes, kittens, a donkey and her colt that was born on Canada Day, a crayfish and a bear! Staff encouraged their mascot, Cooper the Co-op Bear, to enter the pet show; he paraded before the judges then turned and waved to the crowd, which he most likely waved to while on the Oak River Co-op float. Each contestant and their pet was announced by Randi Curry, the special events co-ordinator for Q Country/Star FM radio stations. Prior to her sound system set-up and announcing duties, she also drove the company car through the parade.
Other events at the fairgrounds included a pancake breakfast, horse and cattle shows, baseball, bingo and a country supper. An outdoor canteen dispensed snacks while the rink canteen provided lunch. The ball game was between Rivers Comets and Midwest AAA Midgets; the boys beat the men 9-8 and until the final inning, led Comets 9-4. Livestock winners were: Brynn Mathiason of St. John, North Dakota, champion pony; Jordan Brown of Forrest, champion horse; Gwen Schubert of West St. Paul, champion mini; Carolyn Matthews of Morden, English pleasure sweepstakes; Eileen Eagle Bears of Minto, western pleasure sweepstakes; Hedley Livestock, Rapid City, overall champion female and champion Simmental female; Suntek Livestock, Foxwarren, overall champion bull, champion and reserve Simmental bull; Northern Lights Simmental, Rossburn, reserve female; Diamond T Limousine, Kenton, champion Charolais/Limousine female, reserve Charolais/Limousine bull; Sunblade Charolais, Foxwarren, reserve Charolais/Limousine female; Clayhills Livestock, Harding, champion and reserve Shorthorn Angus females, champion Charolais/Limousine bull; Kevin Routledge, Hamiota, commercial pen pairs.
