Leather N’ Lace Weekend in Ponoka Alberta
PONOKA, Alberta – Over $300,000 was won this weekend at the Calnash Ag Events Centre during The Breeze, The Runaway and the LeathernLace Open barrel races, hosted by Leather n’ Lace owner Laci Fyfe-Shock.
2016 was the first year The Runaway was hosted. The event sold out in less than a minute, filling 155 slots at $750 a piece, making a 3D slot race with a seven tenths split. Because of the huge success of this event, Laci decided to host another; The Breeze. This time being a $1780 entry fee with only 115 slots, and decided to make it a 2D slot race with a one second split. An open jackpot was also held Friday and Saturday afternoon with about 500 runs between the two days.
The clock was ticking the last few days leading up to The Breeze and Sam Smith could not seem to get a bite on renting her slot as she had no horse currently sound and able to run in the race.
A last minute deal with her friend Callahan Crossley, ended up paying off when Callahan ran a 17.053 on her great horse Brownie. The slot originally belonged to photographer and barrel racer, Kaylee-Jo Fawcett (Henkelman).
The deal they made ended up giving Kaylee-Jo $5,000 sending Sam and Callahan $22,500 each.
When asked what Sam is doing with the money she jokingly said, “It’s already gone, I paid some vet bills.”
For Christa Winsnes she had to come home with money from The Runaway, or it meant the shoes were being pulled from her horses feet and her season was over. Her and her husband Willy had discussed that this was it for money being put into barrel racing and rodeo for the season after a tough year with cattle prices. Christa and her mare Sasha have really been clicking this season and running a lot faster than she ran in The Runaway. After stopping the clock at a 18.308, Winsnes was not a happy women, storming out of the arena.
Her husband walked up to the trailer with pep in his step. Smiling he asked, “Do you want to see your run?” to which Christa replied, “Why are you smiling? No! Burn the video!” Willy said, “Do you know where you’re sitting with that run? Carman ran a 16.906, you were an 18.308.”
Christa’s face dropped, thinking of what they could get done with $20,000 if she held on to the top spot in the 3D. They stayed out by the trailer, packed up and checked Rodeo-Go for results, scared to go back in.
After they packed up the trailer, they decided to go back into the building to watch the last five horses. They ran into friends who already congratulated her on her win. “No, no not yet! There are five horses to run.” Christa said.
“We called family members and said, ‘say a prayer, this might happen for us.’.”
Charlene Humphrey told Christa someone would have to run a thousandth of a second faster than her to bump her, the odds of that happening were slim. Christa told her it wasn’t real until the last horse ran, knowing anything is possible at a jackpot.
Finally Laci announced the money earners, and reality hit. They were going home with $20,000.
“You know, you don’t really win the 3D, you fall into it, and the luck of falling into it at this race, its something else; it’s surreal.” smiled Christa.
Check out these fast runs from The Breeze
Pays out as follows:
1D
1st -$50,000 Callahan Crossley on Brownie 17.053
2nd -$30,000 Taylor Jacob on Honour Thy Frenchman 1
3rd -$5,000 Shannon Blakely on Major Dry Bar 17.160
4th -$5,000 Carman Pozzobon on Ripn Lady 17.180
5th – Jenny Traub on LL Invidious 17.253
2D
1st -$50,000 Melissa Duff on Why Not This Man 18.073
2nd -$30,000 Abby Miller on Guy 18.081
3rd -$5,000 Del Bieleny on Chicklet Lena 18.081
4th -$5,000 Nicole Haughian 18.102
5th –
Check out Carman Pozzobon’s new arena record and other great runs from The Runaway!
Pays out as follows:
1D
1st -$20,0000 Carman Pozzobon on Ripn Lady 16.906
2nd -$10,000 Bailee Switzer on Joans Special Alibi 17.208
3rd -$2,000 Brook Swaffield on Time Line In Command 17.230
4th -$2,000 Jaime Hinton on The Goob 17.241
5th – Judy Veer on Rushstone 17.311
2D
1st -$20,0000 Nina Smith on Cloud Grey 17.610
2nd -$10,000 Regan Tebb on Concerned About Cash 17.618
3rd -$2,000 Lauren Byrne 17.673
4th -$2,000 Pamela Jacob Purves on JT Sizzle Smoky Bee 17.674
5th Kim Gertowski on Letta Shawne Bug 17.710
3D
1st -$20,0000 Christa Winsnes on Sheisbyu 18.308
2nd -$10,000 Allison Thompson on Palmer 18.326
3rd -$2,000 Alex Keras on Simply Bad 18.343
4th -$2,000 Carolyn Knapp on Lynx Java Honor 18.344
5th Carla Popescu on Quick N Frosty 18.347
