“It is extremely Canadian. You have not injected some phony act or mimicked some foreign show. You have taken the snow, the ice, the trappers and the dogs and have made them play and live. More power to you!”


- John Fisher, internationally renowned journalist, 1950.


Watch contestants compete in the King Trapper categories or admire craftsmen carving with chainsaws.


est total score in the contest categories are crowned the king or queen. Te contest consists of various skills necessary to the trapper’s survival. Tey include tasks such as tree felling, wood cutting, wood splitting, canoe pack- ing, flour packing, trap setting, moose calling and axe throwing. Other categories include making a fire and boiling tea and baking bannock with provided materials in -20 C to -30 C weather. Te event is a favourite for spectators. An arts and crafts show, amateur talent


show, children and senior events, a parade, pancake breakfasts, tea houses, evening events and the Fur Queen competition round out the festival. In true northern hospitality, ev- eryone is warmly welcomed. As Canadians, this is a bucket list event!


Mushing through the snow Teams of dogs have been pulling sleds throughout the The Hub


How to get there Calm Air offers 9 flights per week


Flight duration 1 hr 10 min


North for what seems an eternity. As dogs provided the main method of transportation for fishermen, trappers, prospectors and traders, it was only a matter of time before someone decided to hold a race. Te year was 1915, and three of Te Pas’ local old dogs, C.B. Morgan, William Bunting and William Hughes were dis- cussing the problems encountered in the local community during the Fur Exchange. Seeing as most of the trap- pers, traders and others who gathered in Te Pas during the winter lull for provi- sions, supplies and trade used dog teams as their means of transport, they discussed the possibility of organizing some events around a competitive dog race. Te hope was that this might prevent the spontaneous races on the


streets that endangered public safety. And, perhaps it would also raise awareness about the North and increase northern


Winter 2014 • 59


Photos by Darryl McKinney.


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