HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1996-08-21, Page 8Across golden prairies
Some 25 drovers led the way through from Buffalo to Medicine Hat.
Young drivers
Dennis, left and Scott Procter
take a break.
Siesta
At the end of a long ride a
soft bed of hay looked pretty
good.
On the road again
The drive hits the roads into Medicine Hat.
The news from
elgrave
Compiled by Linda Campbell Phone 357-2188
60 attend Campbell picnic
PAGE 8. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 1996
Driving along through Canadian prairies
By Bonnie Gropp
Imagine the freedom of wide-
open spaces, a land of rivers and
prairies that you can see for miles
before it connects to a sky of
powder blue. Imagine the glorious
spectrum of rainbows and nights
spent under bejewelled heavens.
Two area men recently had the
opportunity to live this fantasy
while on an adventure into the past.
John Elliott of Blyth and Ross
Procter of RR5, Brussels returned
late last month from the Western
Stock Growers' Centennial Cattle
Drive in Alberta. Reminiscent of the
old west, some 1,500 'cowhands',
plus support staff moved
approximately 2,200 head of cattle
across the prairie grasslands from
Buffalo Alta., to Medicine Hat.
Both men are lifetime horsemen.
Procter has been "riding since I was
a pup". Elliott too, though he admits
to a diversion at one point. "There
was a period of time when I was
interested in girls more than horses."
They heard about the drive through friends in the west.
The story in the case of Elliott is rather bittersweet. It began
January 1995 when he went to Alberta to see Robert
Marshall, a former area resident who had been diagnosed
with cancer. Marshall and his companion Donna Wallace
had the information pamphlet and an interesting proposal for
him when he arrived. Registration for the drive could be
done two ways, Elliott said, with an initial fee of $200 and
the balance of $450 to be paid Jan. 1, 1996, or by entering a
steer in the drive. This would be auctioned and the $450
deducted.
His friends were going to enter the steer for him, as well
as be there at the beginning and end of the drive.
The plan stalled early, however. Though Marshall had
sold off his stock, he hung on to one cow which he believed
to be in calf. Unfortunately this wasn't the case. "Robert
passed away in June of 1995 so Donna and I kept up the
search for a Belted Galloway
steer. We found one about
three to four weeks before the
drive. Ross (Procter) said, 'I
guess Robert got the go on
this."
On July 17 at 11 p.m.,
Elliott and a friend from Fort
Wayne, Ind., Dave Myers,
arrived at Calgary.
While Procter, with his
son, Don, and grandsons
Dennis and Scott, trailered
two horses for the 7.,000 km
round trip, (another son Chris
travelled by plane) Elliott
borrowed horses from two
former Wingham residents
now living out west.
Saturday, July 20 was
roundup day at the Buffalo
camp. "The cattle had been
turned loose on the range,
"said Elliott. "Everyone
wasn't supposed to help but a few of us
snuck out of camp early in the day so we
were in position take part." It took a
couple of hours before the cattle were
herded into a green area and settled for the
night.
"They couldn't have been too settled,
though, because they were spread out all
over the range the next morning and it had
to be done again," Elliott recalls.
Sunday everyone pulled out after a 4:30
a.m. wake-up call. "That first day was an
experience," said Elliott. There were
wagon runaways, horse runaways and
several riders bucked off horses, including
Elliott. "The horse I was riding was
spooked by a wagon that came up behind
it. I rode into camp that night and someone
said, 'Were you one of the guys eating
grass and looking for water this
morning?"
While a certain number of riders were
allowed to go with the herd each day,
Elliott says he spent a lot of time on side
rides. "It was hot so if you rode high on
the hills it was cooler and you
could see phenomenal distances."
"The scenery was magnificent," he noted,
recalling one evening when there was a double
rainbow following a storm while they were
camped near the South Saskatchewan River.
As private land was obviously off limits, most
of the drive was through the Suffield Block, an
area chosen in 1941 for biological and chemical
defense tests. "We were warned to leave any
mortars or shells we found alone," said Procter,
adding that he saw 25 in the first few days
within the Block. Elliott said three other riders
found a bazooka.
By Thursday, the group had left Suffield and
now had to travel on the road allowance. That
evening some 700 of the biggest and best
longhorn cattle were cut out of the herd and the
next morning they,
along with the 85
covered wagons and a
large majority of
horses andtiders, led
by three Mounties,
travelled through the
city of Medicine Hat.
"That was a
highlight," said
Elliott.
"There was a bunch
of cowboys at the
front, then the rest of
us. It was quite a
parade down through
the business section of
Medicine Hat," said
Procter.
Included in that
parade was a saddled,
but riderless horse in
tribute to a 25-year-old man who drowned the night before
while attempting to cross the river to spend time in
Medicine Hat.
This was, however, the only tragedy to mar the event.
"When I consider something of this magnitude and there
were no serious injuries directly related to it, it is a
testimony to the organization and planning that went into it,"
said Elliott.
To guarantee things ran smoothly a group travelled the
route a year ago, setting up water tanks, establishing camp
sites and installing the picket stakes which would hold up to
125 horses.
During the drive, camps were moved and set up with
precision by the crews. Water was brought in by trucks.
Showers were set up in a highway van trailer. Meals were
second to none, Elliott said. Breakfasts were hearty, lunch
was brown bag, while supper boasted such fare as prime rib.
The total effect was a once in a lifetime experience. "Just
being part of history, though the old-timers did it a lot
harder than we did, it still gives you a perspective on what a
journey across the Fairies would be," said Elliott.
"I have done several trail rides in the Rockies so I never
hesitated when this suggestion was offered. I'm sure glad I
didn't. Just being there was exhilarating."
Procter agreed. "It was a real experience. I have never
been on anything quite like it. I slept under the stars three
nights out of six and I learned a lot about people and horses."
B. Procter holidays in Port Elgin
Approximately 60 descendants of
the late Olive and Floyd Campbell
gathered at the Belgrave Park for
the annual Campbell picnic.
Relatives from London,
Kincardine, Clinton, Wingham and
the Belgrave-Brussels area enjoyed
a potluck meal followed by games
and picture taking.
Readings of original poems have
become a tradition at the summer
gathering. Nancy Jardin, Pete
Brommer and Travis Campbell
entertained the group with poems
this year.
Lorne and John Campbell were
in charge of the games.
It was decided the Christmas
gathering will be Dec. 1 in the
Belgrave Institute Hall this year.
Hockey news
Hockey registration is being held
at the Belgrave Arena Thursday,
Aug. 22 and Saturday, Aug. 24.
Anyone interested in playing Tyke,
Novice, Atom or Pee Wee or any
girls interested in playing on the
girls' team are encouraged to come
out and register.
Beth Procter was an overnight
guest with Marjorie and Philip
Stopforth and Alexandria at a
cottage in Port Elgin enjoying a
wonderful time as well as a
beautiful sunset.
Frances McAmmon of Islington
and Mrs. Doug Lockridge of
Ottawa visited recently with their
cousins, Mr. and Mrs. Lewis
Stonehouse.
On another occasion Mr. and
Mrs. Alister Green of Goderich
called on their cousins, Mr. and
Mrs. Lewis Stonehouse for a visit.
Beth Procter of Belgrave and
Sandra Mayberry of Londesboro
visited last Thursday with Vietta
Martin of Elmira.
Max, Lynne, Krista and Andrea
Pletch of Dryden enjoyed a week's
holiday with Thelma Pletch. On
Aug. 10 they were guests at the
wedding of Kerry Pletch and Scott
Tomlinson, held at the home of the
bride's parents Keith and Bonnie
Pletch, Conc. 8, Teeswater.
Visitors at the home of Mr. and
Mrs. Ross Higgins were Joel and
Carol Hawley who have been
working in Haiti with the double
harvest mission. Their children
Kendra, Elissa, Adrienne, Jonathan
and Daniel also enjoyed visiting.
An open house was held at
Whitechurch on Saturday. Also
visiting at the same home were
Carman Farrier and Brian from
Toronto and Colleen Athparian of
Calgary.
The McBurney Reunion was held
at the Belgrave WI Institute Hall,
Sunday, Aug. 11 with a good
attendance from London, St.
Thomas, Kitchener, Arizona,
Michigan, Cambridge, Goderich,
Neustadt and the surrounding area.
The adults visited under the
maples while the children enjoyed
John, Linda, Jeremy and Justin
Campbell spent a week's holiday at
their cottage at Grand Bend. They
attended the funeral service on
Thursday, Aug. 15 at Dashwood of
their dear nephew Bob Vennen of
Calgary. Burial was held in Grand
Bend Cemetery with lunch
following at the cottage of the
Campbell's. Bob will be greatly
missed by all his aunts, uncles,
cousins and friends. He was 33
years old.
games. A potluck supper was at
5 p.m. with President Andrew
Smith of Kitchener conducting the
business. President and secretary
for 1997 will be Ron and Jean
Anne McBurney.
After supper Mary Coultes and
Marion Kernighan of Goderich
entertained with music on the piano
and dulcimer.
McBurneys gather at WI Hall