14

Early Dominion Day celebrations were held on a flat of grassland across the creek from the Police Post. For over one hundred years the Sports or Stampede has been held on the same site.

15

A Metis Family
1930
R.M. of Old Post No. 43, Saskatchewan, Canada

16

The celebrations in 1888 consisted of a cricket match and picnic. Some of the Police brought their families to Wood Mountain for the summer. These families along with a few Metis and Lakota families living nearby attended the event.

17

Tug O' War
1990
Wood Mountain, Saskatchewan, Canada

18

Athletic events included long jump, high jump, hop-step and jump, 100 yard dashes and a half mile foot race. Sack races, three-legged races and obstacle races added an element of fun. The program ended with a tug-o-war. Some of these events have been re-enacted.

19

Presenting Race Horse
1912
North-West Mounted Police Post, R.M. of Old Post No. 43, Saskatchewan, Canada

20

By 1894 horse races were added to the Dominion Day celebration. The Police, ranchers, Metis and Lakota entered their finest runners. Half mile and mile horse races were held along with half mile, quarter miles and slow races for Indian ponies.

21

Ready for the Slow Race
1918
R.M. of Old Post No. 43, Saskatchewan, Canada

22

The slow race was a novelty race. Competitors entered their slowest horses, which were often draft horses. The names of the horses were put into a hat and drawn out by the riders. No one was allowed to ride their own horse. The winner rode the fastest of the slow horses.

23

Secretary of the Wood Mountain-Willow Bunch Turf Club
1921
R.M. of Old Post No. 43, Saskatchewan, Canada

24

In 1899 the pioneers of Wood Mountain and Willow Bunch formed a Turf Club to promote horse racing. The first secretary of the Club was James Thomson, who came to Wood Mountain with the NWMP in 1879 and stayed to ranch.

25

Rancher's Race
1940
Wood Mountain, Saskatchewan, Canada

26

The Turf Club added more races to the program, including a rancher's race. Each rancher rode three horses, one after the other, around the track. At the end of the first lap the rancher unsaddled the first horse and saddled the second and continued in this manner until three laps were completed.

27

Ox Race
1911
Wood Mountain, Saskatchewan, Canada