Indian Relay Race impresses on Canada long weekend
By Tyler Lowey, Times Reporter
Tyler Lowey Photo
The Warrior Party Horsemanship Film Society produced two evenings of fast-paced entertainment at the Strathmore and District Agricultural Society grounds.
“We’ve never had this many teams in an event before and I think it only made the weekend more exciting,” said chief head judge Winston Bruised Head. “It was great to see all the riders perform in front of a huge crowd this weekend.”
According to Bruised Head, his race featuring 16 teams was the most for a Canadian Indian Relay Race in the past six years and definitely the most since Strathmore has been hosting the event.
Four-man teams from Alberta, Saskatchewan and Montana came out for the event. The action started June 30 with the preliminary heats.
Four teams raced at a time: four riders would take off at the start for one lap of the rodeo grounds. Upon completion of each lap, they jumped off their moving horse and leaped on a fresh horse to complete a new lap. There were two exchanges and three laps total in completing the race.
Chaos was often the case during exchanges, especially if two teams arrived at the same time. Horses weren’t the most cooperative at times, which made for tumultuous takeoffs. It wasn’t out of the ordinary to see a rider fall off his horse while trying to depart for a new lap.
Teams consisted of four members: a warrior, a mugger, a holder and a back holder. Each team member was colourfully decorated and the horses wore festive paint.
How teams finished June 30 determined the order and which heat they ran in the final on July 1.
“We had two days of fantastic racing,” said Bruised Head. “I think the fans were entertained and we saw some of the best relay racing I’ve ever seen.”
By the time the dust settled July 1, the Northern Cree Express took the title, a championship jacket, a Chief Crowfoot citation and the most points in the Canadian Indian Relay Race Association.
“It was such a great event. We were competing and having fun, there was a huge crowd supporting us and we got to do it on Canada Day,” said Allison Red Crow, the back holder for one of the three local teams from Siksika, the Old Sun unit. “We got to show off our sport to all our friends and family and help celebrate Canada. You can’t beat that.”
Team Star School from the Blackfeet Tribe took second, while the Partners Stables from Saddle Lake Cree First Nation took third. Rounding out the championship run was the Pretty Young Man team from Blackfoot Nation.
The relay races weren’t the only events going on in front of 500 spectators each night.
Logan Red Crow from the Old Sun team won the Lady Warrior race. Cree Jackson from Anatapsii placed second and Megan Yellow Fly from the Running Wolf group took third.
In the Warrior race, Tyrell Mcgilvery finished first, Shaedon Mcgilvery placed second and Tyrone Jackson took third.
In the Chief race, Joseph Jackson pulled off the fastest lap time, followed by Robert Gray and Tyrone Jackson.
Bruised Head and his committee took some time over the weekend to dedicate the race to Thomas Many Guns. Many Guns was an avid supporter of the race that owned two teams. Despite being in a wheelchair, he helped grow the sport in Alberta. Many Guns passed away last November at the age of 61 from a heart attack.
Many Guns would have loved to see the support the race received this weekend, as it is only continuing to grow in popularity in the province.
“In the states, these events have been going on forever and they put on some great shows,” said Red Crow, who competed in the 2016 World Finals in Billings, Mont. “If we keep getting crowds like the one we had this weekend, we will eventually be on the same page as teams from the states.”
The next Indian Relay Race goes July 19 in Maple Creek, Sask., and returns to Alberta July 21 and 22 in Standoff.