Hundreds of ATVs descended on St. Jean Baptiste over the weekend to attend the 21st annual ATV Derby.
The two-day event is one of Canada’s premier ATV derbies and attracts people from across Manitoba and neighbouring provinces.
The majority of the community participates to ensure the derby runs smoothly.
“The arena staff and fire department help out as ‘service hands’ with the derby committee prepping the trails and mud holes,” explained Sandra Fillion, who has been derby director for 17 years. “We are further supported by our sponsors, landowners, and volunteers from the community, high school and Red River Wild minor and senior hockey teams. Over 100 volunteers aid in the event.
“The Quad Derby is St. Jean’s biggest fundraiser,” Fillion added, “with half a million dollars going back into the community since 2001.”
Profits are divided amongst various groups, including the arena, fire department, Christmas hampers, STARS ambulance, Heart & Stroke, Etoiles d’la Rouge daycare, and CREE, the local French resource centre for pre-schoolers.
“I’m pretty sure people plan their work holidays around this weekend,” laughed St. Jean resident and volunteer Chelsey Lavallee.
The event kicked off on Friday evening with Friday Night Lights mud bog racing sponsored by Madd Mack.
“People get to play in the mud or sit and watch,” said planning committee member Jenae Berard. Participants race through the muddy water for cash prizes and trophies. The kid’s mud racing has three age categories ranging from four to 15 years old.
The Saturday derby saw over 1,200 people ride through approximately 40 km of field and river trails drawing poker chips at each of five check points to achieve the highest possible hand.
About one-third of the riders are women with their own machine or mothers with children. Father-daughter team Francine and Sky won the first-place prize, valued at $2,500.
The majority of the participants congregated around the mud holes following the derby, watching fellow ATVers bogging along the Plum River or catching up with each other. Many commented on how the derby is a nice way to relax, visit, and spend time with family and friends.
Musical entertainment at the beer gardens included Almost Famous and The Ricky Smits.
Photos by Siobhan Maas/Voice
