The running of the 108th Canada Day Millarville races is a surer bet than Secretariat at the Belmont with an army of volunteers is making sure riders, horses and spectators can get to the event.
The flooding that occurred through a large part of the foothills last week had some skeptics believing the races were a longshot to go on. Fortunately, little of the track was damaged, according to Bill Powell, Millarville races chairman.
“Miraculously we weren’t hit very hard,” Powell said. “On Thursday (June 20) at 5 p.m. we had water at the entrance road and a little running over the track, but we have had no damage — nothing to the concession, to the office or to the market area.”
Although there was no major fixing up to do, there was plenty of cleaning and fine-tuning before the horses are at the post on Canada Day.
“We had to clean-up debris —not on the track — and some mud to clean up,” Powell said.
The entrance road needed some shoring up, which was being done with a combination of hired hands and volunteers.
For the rest of the preparation, some local troops were called in on June 26 to grab a broom, a shovel or a paintbrush.
“It’s our army,” Powell said with a laugh. “We got them through Facebook. We put a new inside rail on the track and we’re busy painting the inside track.”
Okotokian Dave Kabat was one of several volunteers who signed up. He was busy brandishing a weed-whacker.
“I have a home-base business and I wanted to help with the flooding,” Kabat said. “I couldn’t go to High River so I decided to come here… I saw it on Facebook.”
The volunteer army also consisted of troops from various 4-H groups who were painting the inside rail on the backstretch.
Morgan Mills of the Millarville 4-H Saddle Sores said she wanted to come out because the Millarville Ag Society — the head organization of the races — has helped its group in the past.
“I come out and help every year and this year I wanted to come out and help them fix it up,” said Mills, a Red Deer Lake School student said.
Powell estimated there were 75 people out to help with the sprucing up at Millarville Racetrack.
He said it is important to have the races continue, especially in light of the catastrophic flooding.
“I think having the races will offer some distraction for some flood victims,” Powell said.
The Millarville races start at noon on Canada Day. For more information go to www.millarvilleracetrack.com