Bonnyville rodeo grounds was the place for fresh produce, prepared foods, handcrafted items, unique products, and live entertainment on Saturday.
Bonnyville Ag Society offered its annual Fall Fair all weekend long. A huge indoor and outdoor vendor market drew visitors onto the site all day Saturday, and an open-air stage was the venue for ongoing entertainment.
Many of the fairgoers were also drawn into the grandstand by the sound of thundering hooves. The Ag Society, in conjunction with Kehewin Cree Nation, presented three equestrian sports on Saturday and Sunday: pony chuckwagon races, chariot races, and the popular Indian Relay races.
In Indian Relay, riders do three laps of the track, riding bareback on speedy racehorses. They change horses with each lap — sometimes the exchange goes like clockwork, sometimes the rider loses time amid the chaotic activity. And occasionally, the horse loses its rider.
The highly-skilled teams represent their respective First Nations communities over a summer-long circuit.
