By TREENA MIELKE
Despite huge swirling snowflakes and a chilling wind that swept relentlessly through layers of winter clothing, spirits were high at the Rimbey Sleigh Wagon and Saddle Club’s 18th annual cutter parade at the rodeo grounds Feb. 5.
Club president Keith Kendrew was pleased with the event that attracted 16 participants.
“I think it went really well,” he said. “The weather wasn’t good and the roads weren’t good, but we still had a good turnout and everyone had fun.”
Bill Nesbitt, one of the original organizers of the event, said the parade is a great opportunity for people to get together. He recalled when the event got started, noting that previously interested residents in the area used to travel to Lacombe to ride in that town’s cutter parade.
“The cutter club originated in our home 18 years ago. We had a meeting and then decided to go home and think about it. We got together a week later and decided to form a club. That was in 1993.”
Nesbitt said it started out with only a few interested people, but has grown in popularity over the years.
“The turnout varies. There have been up to about 50 rigs and as few as 11. It depends on the weather.”
Nesbitt, who hasn’t participated the last couple of years, said his 24-year-old mare, Della, was ready to go Saturday morning.
“She was looking over the fence. I know she was ready to go again,” he said with a smile.
Nesbitt said he rode in the cutter parade for several years and always brought the same team, Della and Cinder. Now he comes to watch the
activities and enjoy the time spent with old friends. It also gives him the opportunity to make some new ones.
“Strangers are just friends you haven’t met yet,” he said.
Melissa Waldron from Rimbey, who received the prize for being the youngest driver, said it was a great experience. “It was fun. I was a little nervous being it was only the second time the horses (Casey and General) were hooked up to the sled and we got in a bit of mud.”
However, the 12-year-old Grade 7 student at Rimbey Junior Senior High School has grown up around horses and plans to ride in rodeos some day, so she wasn’t too worried.
Riding in the homemade sleigh along with Melissa were her dad, Norman, and her brothers, Gary and Lester and her friend, Krissy Meinema.
The prize for the oldest participant in the cutter parade went to Bill Houston from Eckville, Sandy Halberg won the prize for the best dressed rig, and Ron Morphy from Olds received the prize for coming the furthest.
Following the parade, the Rimbey Sleigh Wagon and Saddle Club held a silent auction and sold chili and pie. Coffee and doughnuts were provided.
A silent auction was also held, as well as donkey and miniature horse rides for the children.
Music was provided by Raymond Tschabold, Viola Schneider and Ann Houghton of Rimbey.