Goodstriker honoured

By Lethbridge Herald on September 22, 2022.

Herald Photo by Ry Clarke Team Anatapsii is excited to race during the Rocky Mountain Turf Club's Warrior Relay Races going on this weekend

By Ry Clarke

Lethbridge Herald

Rocky Mountain Turf Club is hosting three days of Warrior Relay Racing this weekend, starting at 6 p.m. on Friday.

Saturday and Sunday will start at 1 p.m. with the final day being dubbed the Jason Goodstriker Memorial Championship Race, to honour Goodstriker who passed two years ago.

“The Warrior Relay Race is the oldest sport in North America, and it’s having a rejuvenation. They’re changing lives in the communities of First Nations,” said Max Gibb, CEO of Rocky Mountain Turf Club. “There are over 40 teams now in Alberta, with 15 to 20 in southern Alberta. It is having a humongous influence on the young people in the community.”

“This weekend will be one of the biggest Warrior Relay Tournaments in Alberta,” notes Gibb. “There will be 16 teams. Four competitions everyday.”

At the start of the race, the rider will have both feet on the ground while a catcher holds the horse. When the race begins the rider will climb aboard the horse and race around the track. After one lap the rider dismounts and mounts another horse and races again, repeating this process one more time before finishing the race. The quick switching and intricate nature require a rider to be fully aware of both their team and animals as they work seamlessly to get the best time with minimal delays.

To Indigenous tribes the races were used as war games, strategies on hunting, and another way to outrun wild horses and capture them. The importance of these races runs deep with Indigenous culture.

Team Anatapsii wears a traditional style of clothing to honour this tradition, saying it respects their heritage while holding true to the history.

“My wife’s grandpa was the first RCMP on the Peigan Reserve. Anatapsii was his Blackfoot name. That’s where we got our name from. It means cute,” said a spokesperson for the team.

The Turf Club will be packed this weekend with fans for the races coming out to cheer on their teams.

“When we hosted the races three years ago, we had the largest crowd that had ever been in this facility,” said Gibb. “Every time we have had a Warrior Relay Program it has been highly acceptable. Full of crowds, and we are confident that we will be again.”