The Preeceville and District Musher Rendezvous, scheduled for February 1 to 3, will be celebrating its 20th anniversary of dog sled races and various of events.
Currently the world-class dog sledding event features six-dog and ten-dog races that start and finish at the Preeceville Arena.
The event is a significant fundraiser for the community and proceeds from the event will be used to purchase equipment at the Preeceville and District Health Centre, stated the Town of Preeceville website.
Funds raised at the 2018 event were used to purchase two ceiling lifts, an alternating air mattress and a water cooler for the Preeceville and District Health Centre.
Other attractions scheduled to take place over the Mushers Rendezvous weekend include a Friday night talent show, two suppers, pancake breakfast and Saturday night dance featuring live entertainment by Kendra Kay.
The original concept behind the beginning of Mushers began during a conversation between John Masko and Michael Osatiuk.
"We were sitting around at our moose camp when the discussion came up how the possibility of starting up dog sled racing as a fundraiser would benefit the hospital," said Masko, one of the original committee and a founding member.
The duo contacted Kevin Cook of Preeceville, who was part of the dog sled community, to help set up and organize a committee that would organize the race event in Preeceville. The first original members included Masko, Osatiuk, Cook, Bessie Arnie, Lorne Plaxin and Bev Masko,
The first winter celebration was held February 5 and 6, 2000 and featured six and ten dog races with two suppers, a talent show and a dance.
"We had a huge response from the community and area to support the decision to continue the winter celebration as a way to break up winter,” stated Cook.
Over the years the rendezvous has incorporated many different events featuring snow hill sliding, children's games, suppers, talent shows and an awards portion at the conclusion of the event.
The first musher rendezvous raised $34,000 towards the expansion of the hospital. Over the past 19 years the rendezvous has raised $328,000.
In the first musher rendezvous, Florence Nawroski was crowned queen with Jeannette Jaques as first runner up and Janet Christopherson, as second runner-up. A talent show with eight contestants concluded the weekend. Contestants featured included: the Assiniboine Valley Fiddlers; Helen Boyko; Club 60 Ukrainian Choir; the Scharfenbergs and company; the Mayor's Family Band; Preeceville Lions Hostel staff, Woodland and Men's Chorus and the Sisters of Clair.
There were a variety of activities featured during the weekend that included skating, snow hill sliding, a pancake breakfast, two variety suppers and dance with music by Midnight Blue.
A CF-18 jet flew over the town of Preeceville as part of the special events for the first event.
There were nine, ten dog teams with Raymond Cook winning the event. Lyle Cook won second place and Kevin Cook won third. all of Preeceville.
There were 16 teams entered in the six-dog race with Hans Rietz of Rocky Mountain House, Alta. winning first place followed by Scott Howie of Saskatoon and Jack Cook of Southend.
