COLD LAKE – It’s back. The second annual Skijoring for MS: Riding Towards a Cure event will return to Cold Lake Ag Society’s Exhibition Park grounds on March 11.
“Of course, it’s going to be bigger and better than last year. We wouldn’t do it if we couldn’t make it bigger and better,” said event organizer James Purdy, with a laugh. “It’s going to be a show.”
The free admission, family-friendly event will kick-off with a pancake breakfast at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday with skijoring events starting at 11 a.m.
In between the events and heats, spectators can warm up indoors at the craft show and market or head over to the concession and beer gardens.
Over 40 teams have already registered for Saturday’s event, with only a few spots remaining open for teams or individual horse riders, skiers or snowboarders before entries close at the end of the day on March 7. Registration will be capped at 50 teams.
Opportunities to sponsor the event or volunteer are still available.
“All funds are going to MS Society. So, if any organization wanted to be part of it through sponsorship, we can definitely get them in there for advertising or whatever they’re looking for,” said Purdy.
Volunteers will be needed to help out both indoors or outside on the track or with horses in the staging area.
Riding and sliding
Cold Lake track designer Cody Warman, who travels all over Alberta building snow parks and tracks for motocross events, has volunteered his time to create the course for the Skijoring for MS event.
Throughout the day, each team made up of riders and sliders will have the opportunity to compete in three events: Big Air/Freestyle, Circuit and Sprint. Prizes will also be given out for the best costumes.
The Circuit event is a timed run through obstacles. The horse and rider will navigate their slider around the custom track while the skier or snowboarder will have to complete a series of different features. These features will include jumps, pylons and different obstacles.
“Every feature that they miss will be a certain penalty, potentially a two to five second penalty if it's something that's more important,” explained Purdy.
The results will not only demonstrate the speed of the horse but also the skill of the skier or snowboarder.
The Sprint event, which is a straight 100 metre race with no obstacles, will have teams competing head-to-head in heats. The fastest team of the day will take first place.
And lastly, the event that draws in the biggest crowd, the Big Air Freestyle event.
“Circuits are fun because there are wrecks all over the place. The sprint is fun because it's fast,” said Purdy, “But the Big Air, that's the big draw.”
In the Big Air event, riders try and generate enough speed to allow the slider to land a flip, spin, or grab after hitting their jump.
“It’s wild, people didn’t even know what they were getting into last year. It is jaw dropping – it is so stupid what we're doing,” said Purdy, but both the audience and the participants love it.
“If it's not dangerous, if people aren’t on the verge of breaking something, nobody wants to watch it,” he laughed. “And so, we're putting that together somewhat safely.”
Supporting the MS Society
After 14 years of raising funds for the MS Society of Canada, Team MS Ain’t Purdy, which is made up of Purdy’s family and close friends, has raised almost $700,000 for the cause.
In the fall of 2008, Purdy was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS), a disease where the immune system attacks nerve fibres and other related cells.
Since then, Purdy and his group of supporters have raised between $30,000 to $40,000 every year through a variety of events.
Skijoring for MS has quickly become Purdy’s favourite and most fun event that the group organizes. “There is no better event in the Lakeland,” he said.
Purdy is also proud of where the dollars that are raised go in the community and beyond.
Whether it is organizing community events like the St. Paul MS Walk and Coffee Time at A&W or the other advocacy work that the Lakeland MS Society does for community members, it is all very powerful, he said.
“MS affects every individual differently and there are many people living in Bonnyville and throughout the Lakeland with the disease,” said Purdy. “But it's about having a support system. Knowing other people that have it makes a difference.”
The MS society also helps fund equipment for those who need scooters, wheelchairs, or renovations to a house for accessibility. Staff can also assist those living with the disease access much needed government grants and services that can be difficult to navigate.
But there is still more to the story. The factors that trigger MS and cause the disease to progress at varying rates continue to baffle scientists.
“I want every dollar to stay here, sure. But if we don't promote the research, we are never going to end MS either,” said Purdy. "A big focus is sending money for research and that is how we will end MS. There have already been great strides in the different medications that are being used because of this type of research.”
It may surprise many to know that research for MS is being carried out in Canada and Alberta, including at the University of Alberta, noted Purdy.
For information on the Skijoring for MS event or to donate to Team MS Ain't Purdy visit: Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada (donordrive.com)
