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Western Heritage Weekend draws big crowds

Western Heritage Weekend was deemed a huge success this past weekend, with many different events for fans to take in.
A chariot driver rounds the final turn toward the home stretch of the course during the weekend’s events.
A chariot driver rounds the final turn toward the home stretch of the course during the weekend’s events.

Western Heritage Weekend was deemed a huge success this past weekend, with many different events for fans to take in.

Some of the highlights of the weekend included the Super 6 Team Roping event and the Canadian All-Pro Chuckwagon and Chariot Racing Association series of races. Other events included mutton busting, wild horse racing and a miniature horse show.

“The Olds Ag. Society … enjoyed a very busy weekend … with three events that have been running simultaneously,” said Tami Gardner, general manager of the OAS.

Gardner said although the events were successful, the organizing committee has had somewhat of an uphill battle with getting the word out that some aspects of the former fair and rodeo are still taking place. Without all the events taking place at one time, Gardner said the heritage weekend organizing committee has had to refocus community attention on the aspects of the fair that have remained — such as the chuckwagon races.

“It's been a little bit challenging for our community to realize that there were in fact some aspects of the fair that remained and always-popular chuckwagons and chariots was one of those elements. We hope to continue to build on the solid attendance that we're experiencing right now,” she said.

One of the most positive elements of the weekend was the level of sponsorship area businesses showed for the chuckwagons and chariots.

Gardner said the OAS remains committed to listening to the community in terms of potentially adding an event or two to the weekend roster in future editions of the heritage weekend.

“The ag. society is always receptive to ideas, particularly those ideas that come from the community that would be an opportunity for the ag. society to produce events either independently or in partnership that the community would enjoy,” she said.

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