For a second year, the Deloraine Fair will feature Heavy Events and Jason McDonald couldn't be more thrilled to be back in the Westman area.
"We're very excited," McDonald says with a smile. "This will be our second year in Deloraine, so we're looking forward to going back out there and putting on a good show. We had a decent crowd last year, and all our athletes are pretty pumped to be back there because it was a great time, everyone was so wonderful to us."
There are not as many events around the province as McDonald and others would like, so to have Deloraine welcome every back, it's a big deal for every one. "It means a lot. Normally, we're Winnipeg based, Selkirk or Cooks Creek, all within the Winnipeg area. Last year was one of our first adventures outside that area and we wondered if it would be good and it absolutely was. We're looking forward to being back."
On top of the venue, McDonald believes Deloraine is a great fit because of the communities around the area that are encouraged to come out and see what they have to offer. "It's what we're hoping for, we'd love everyone to come. We had two locals last year and I think we're up to four or five, and while they're not local to Deloraine, they maybe have family in the area. We have a competitor from the Souris area, a member's wife's family grew up in Deloraine, then another couple has family there, plus Stephanie (Outhwaite) from the Killarney area. We're really looking forward to the growth that comes from being in that area."
Doing these events and having families come see them in person is special for McDonald, who says they'll always be up for getting people closer to the action. "It's hard to see from sitting in the crowd just how heavy the implements are that we're throwing around. When a kid or even an adult can come and pick up one of our weights for distance, it's 56 pounds, which might not super heavy but when you pick it up and hold it with one hand, you realize it's heavy. It's impressive to the kids and the parents as well."
Not just an organizer, McDonald is also a competitor. "I've been competing about 10 years now," he says proudly. "I'm ranked in the open and master in Canada. I can't remember what I'm ranked, I think I'm number one in the masters in Canada, at this point, but it's still early in the season. I can't remember where I am in the open, but I'm usually top 10," he says very humbly.
Going out and doing what he loves to do is always special for McDonald, who can't wait to get out and compete. "I'm very looking forward to it. I've been at a peak faze of my training, so I'm looking forward to hitting some big numbers in Deloraine. The surface they provide us is pretty good for throwing far, so it should be an exciting day. Hopefully the weather cooperate and we can put on a show."
It's not just throwing heavy, it's about endurance, too, says McDonald. "It depends how long the day can be, it depends on how many competitors we have. A few weeks ago in Selkirk, we had 19 people, so we went from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. before we wrapped up and handed out awards, so it can be long. We have the ability to scale back events to meet the time frame, but it is a long endurance event. We have to make sure everyone is hydrated and well fed throughout the day."
Details on the Heavy Events and the Deloraine Fair can be found here: Events Guide