Race day #1 is done and it is history. What a gloomy kind of day it was. Although it did not rain, it sure looked like it could have opened up the taps at any time and get us wet. But it never did.
A banquet waiting for its guests
A bouquet of freshness
Rick, Cody, Allie and I attended a sponsors meet and greet supper yesterday. I was admiring all the lovely decorations the committee worked hard on for this function. They did a really nice job. It caught my fancy enough to get me to take photos. The ideas may come in handy one day if we have another wedding to prepare for.
Here in Dawson Creek, our son Cody has entered to compete with his chuckwagon in the Western Chuckwagon Association. It has fewer members and gives many of the younger guys starting out a chance to compete and test out their driving before hitting the so-called big league.
A practice turn on 1
Top barrel turn
A proud father watching his son
Tonight Cody was off the 1 barrel. The practice turn went well. The horn sounded for the heat and away they went. Cody made a nice top barrel turn but then went a bit wide and couldn’t quite make the bottom barrel. Squished it! Automatic five-second penalty. Oh well, there’s always tomorrow.
Cody’s #1 fan
Allie loves to have fun. As Cody headed to the track, she jumped in the wagon for a quick snapshot with two thumbs up.
Two young onlookers enjoying the ponies
Here in Dawson, we get a fair amount of people stopping along the roadside checking out the horses. They love to watch and call out to the ponies.
Our friend Paul with Cody
It was a very touching moment tonight for our friend Paul. These races tonight marked a milestone for him. For many years, Paul was involved in chuckwagon racing. Paul helped Rick’s grandfather Tommy Dorchester and his uncles Garry and Dallas Dorchester. Paul has also helped us over the past nine years and now he gets to help Cody. A four-generation stretch. He was one happy camper tonight and proud of it.
A turn on the 2 barrel
Our outfit tonight consisted of Right Leader Spin, Left Leader Spirit, Left Wheel Keenan and Right Wheel Zorba. Beau and Trixter were ridden by Cole and Rory Jarvis. The outriding crew did their job. As for the wagon horses and driver…not so good. For some reason, the left wheeler kept crowding the right wheeler Zorba. Coming around the 2 barrel, Rick missed a line and ran right over the bottom barrel. Sometimes those things just get in the way. As we always say, there’s always tomorrow.
Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase. You just have to take the first step.