Blue Sky Arena Trial Ride and Penning Jackpot

Submitted by:
Michelle Buck |

The Blue Sky Arena celebrated the May long weekend with a trail ride on Saturday, May 21, 2016 and a team cattle penning jackpot on Sunday.

Saturday’s ride started and ended at the Blue Sky Arena south of Benito, MB.

Click any picture for a larger version.

Eighteen riders and three wagons took part in the beautiful ride along fields and trails and then paused lakeside for a hot dog trail lunch provided by the club.


At the end of the day everyone enjoyed a fantastic potluck supper. Some of our trail riders chose to camp on the grounds for the night and stay for the jackpot on Sunday.

Sixty-two Open teams and six Youth teams made for a quite a competition and the cows didn’t make it easy on anyone.

To say they were a challenge would be an understatement – only five teams logged a time on 3-head in both go’s.



Everyone was up for the challenge though, and the tougher the cows were the more fun everyone seemed to have. Dust was flying and the entire herd seemed to disappear in it at times just to add to the challenge. We had a lot of dusty faces and big white grins by the end of the day.


At half time the Youth teams rolled in for their turn. We saw some pretty impressive rides, and they didn’t hold back a bit with one team working so hard they were handed a roughing penalty.

By 8 pm the dust had settled and the prizes were awarded.

Youth Class:
1st – Dax Mullin & Jenna McKay with a time of 2:42 on 6 head
2nd – Jenna McKay & Ryder Helmeczi with a time of 0:47 on 3 head
3rd – Dax Mullin & Jules Smyth with a time of 1:03 on 3 head
The Youth teams all received cash prizes, and the Blue Sky club paid their entry fees.

Members Only – one run:
1st – Morgan Buck, Gerry Peesker and Sharon Foster with a time of 0:58:78 on 3 head.
Members only pays a cash prize to first place only, and points are accumulated towards a year end prize.

Open B-side – 3 head:
1st – Sharon Foster, Brenda Lebel and Clint Ducharme with a time of 0:41:15
2nd – Fran Fitzpatrick, Jules Smyth, Jenna McKay with a time of 0:49:32
3rd – Mel McArthur, Fran Fitzpatrick, Ashley Langevin with a time of 0:49:93
Teams compete on the B-side when the receive a no-time in the first go, but pen 3 cows in the second go. Cash prizes were awarded.

Open A-side – 6 head:
1st – Steve Wickert, Clint Ducharme, Brenda Lebel with a time of 1:38:73. First place received a beautiful set of buckles sponsored by Norquay Co-Op and the Blue Sky Arena, plus a cash prize.
2nd – Morgan Buck, Denny Langevin, Dennis Highmoor with a time of 1:43:31. Second place received a set of stirrups sponsored by Poplar Bluff Tack and Harness of Pelly, SK, plus a cash prize.
3rd – Jackie Ripa, Steve Wickert, Barney Stehr with a time of 1:43:90. Third place received a set of boot bags and cash prize.
4th – Mark Fraser, Kim Kindiak, Gerry Peesker with a time of 1:50:32. Forth place received a $50 gift certificate from the Hitching Post in Yorkton, SK, plus a cash prize.
5th – Ashley Langevin, Morgan Buck, Denny Langevin with a time of 1:59:58. Fifth place received a wall mount saddle rack sponsored by Poplar Bluff Tack & Harness, Pelly, SK, plus a cash prize.

Special thanks go out to our grounds crew – judge, flag holders, time keepers and gate man – we couldn’t do this without you. We had a revolving line up of volunteers who all took a turn throughout the day, and it was very much appreciated.

Our canteen was run by the crew from Buffalo Junction in Benito, MB and it was fantastic. Pulled pork, potatoe salad, piping hot cheeseburgers…mmm!

Our sponsors were looking good this year with their bright new signs on the arena wall:

Our Gold sponsors who chose to sponsor a cow were Swan Valley Co-Op, Rough Country, and GSPS TJ Schullman.

Our Silver sponsors chose who chose to sponsor a pen were Michelle Buck Essential Oils, Lynn’s Plants & Things, Dairy Queen, Formo Motors (Ford), Key Chev, Sign Here, Benito Meats, and Rod Blosha Pioneer Seeds.

Our Bronze sponsors were Swan Valley Credit Union, Cook & Cooke, Redline Chrysler, Spruce Products Limited, Swan Valley Dental, OK Tire, Benito Foods, Benito Home Center, Schneider Insurance, Swan Valley
Vet Clinic, Grazier Custom Manufacturing, Northern Leisure & Power Products Swan River, Hitching Post, and Poplar Bluff Tack Shop.

Door prizes were sponsored by Sammy’s Farm Supply Ltd, Dauphin, MB.

The Blue Sky Arena holds weekly team penning practices at our outdoor arena ½ mile west of the junction of Highways 49 & 83. Our next practice is scheduled for Thursday, June 2 at 6:30 pm.

See our facebook page at www.facebook/BlueSkyArena for more details or call 204-539-2345 and listen to the message to see what’s coming up next.