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Trying to free up ice time

Town of Barrhead councillor suggests Ag Society look at alternatives using the Agrena’s ice rink for the WRA finals
Dave Sawatzky Aug.9 2022
Town of Barrhead Coun. Dave Sawatzky said the Ag Society when planning to host future Wildrose Rodeo Association finals, should consider alternatives to using the Agrena's ice rink.

BARRHEAD – Is there another way the Barrhead Agricultural Society could host the Wildrose Rodeo Association finals without taking over the Agrena? 

That is the question Town of Barrhead Coun. Dave Sawatzky posed at the Aug. 8 council meeting. 

The Wildrose Rodeo Association (WRA) has been around since 1980 in one form or another. The amateur rodeo association boasts more than 600 members and hosts more than 30 events annually, including the WRA Finals, which Barrhead has hosted continuously since 1989, minus the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021. 

 The WRA final is the showcase event of the association's season.  

Athletes who have the Top 10 point totals in each of the seven core rodeo events (bull riding, bareback and saddleback riding, calf roping, team roping, steer wrestling and ladies barrel racing) qualify for the rodeo finals, which also features the Top 6 junior-point leaders who will compete in the steer riding, bull riding, breakaway roping, and barrel racing events. The 2022 WRA finals (Sept. 15-18) is the last year of the current agreement the Ag Society has with the rodeo association. 

In mid-May, the Ag Society posted on its Facebook page that they were contemplating not bidding for the next WRA Finals contract due to concerns over not having enough of a volunteer pool committed long-term specifically to the event. 

Since then, the Ag Society determined that they had enough support to submit a bid to host the finals for another three-year cycle. 

"One of my concerns is how much hosting the event ties up the (Agrena's ice-rink). It doesn't bring in a lot of money for the society, and it is not a real value to our community (economically) as the cowboys come in prepared," Sawatzky said. "We lose three weeks of ice that we could be renting to another hockey school, or give to another organization that can use the ice, such as the Barrhead Bombers or the (Barrhead Minor Hockey Association). Perhaps, there is another way the Ag Society can host the finals." 

Earlier in the meeting, Barrhead Bombers owner and general manager Aly Virani told council that because they could not get ice time at the Agrena, the team had to move its late August evaluation camp to Edmonton. He added that he expects the earliest the Bombers could hit the ice at the Agrena is late September.  

So the team is not at a disadvantage at the start of the Canadian-American Junior Hockey League (CAJHL) season on Oct. 1, he is hoping to find ice at nearby rinks. 

Sawatzky suggested that the Ag Society could use the outdoor ice rink next to the Agrena. 

"Instead of using our indoor facility, which isn't heated at that time of the year, they could cover the outdoor rink with an event tent," he said. "Perhaps that won't work, but I am trying to consider the needs of the overall community ... I guess I'm just wondering if the (Ag Society) has looked at other options on how they can host the event." 

Coun. Anthony Oswald, council's representative of the Ag Society board, noted earlier in the meeting that the WRA finals was not a big money earner for them, saying at best, it nets them a small profit of $1,500 to $2,000.  He also noted that, due to the small profit margin, the Ag Society decreased its annual monetary contribution by $5,000. 

Oswald added the society decided to take the gamble because they believed that there would be few, if any other bids submitted. 

 


Barry Kerton

About the Author: Barry Kerton

Barry Kerton is the managing editor of the Barrhead Leader, joining the paper in 2014. He covers news, municipal politics and sports.
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