Another spectacular Saturday of summer weather greeted visitors to Watrous on Saturday, July 26 for its annual Fun Run show and shine. While the weather was gorgeous, so was the multitude of vehicles on display lining Watrous’ Main Street. Hundreds of people walked the centre of the street to get a close up look at the automotive wonders on display. Some were stock vehicles with few modifications. Others were madcap inventions, a reflection of the imaginations of these automotive artists.
One such whimsical creation is a Ford 2-Ton cut down to a short flat bed and a collection of memorabilia accessories that don’t necessarily belong on a truck but look great when you throw them into the design blender.
“It started out as a 2-ton grain truck, I believe,” says owner and truck smith Erwin Bateman of Craven. “I bought it on an on-line auction from Big River. It had a broken frame, so I cut it down and made it into a half ton, but it still has the Ford V-8 flathead engine it came with from the factory.”
After building the box and installing an original tailgate, Erwin’s imagination kicked in. He’s added tubular air horns to the roof, coal burning lanterns to the front as fog lights and a swede saw blade as a sun visor. Add the truck's age-induced patina and it all comes together to create a distinctly steampunk look.
Other cars have had very little modification since their manufacture but come with a history all their own. Take the replica 1979 Ford Mustang pace car, complete with the original T-roof, based on the pace car from the Indianapolis 500 that year.
“There were originally five of these cars made with the T-roof,” explained owner Gerry Guillet. “Following that race, Ford decided to make replicas of that pace car either with a sunroof, or very few made with a T-roof. This one is a numbered car.”
Guillet came across the gutted-out body in a pasture near Spiritwood. The body was remarkably rust free and retained the extremely rare rear hatch wiper. It was a five year long negotiation for Guillet to finish gaining possession to start the project of evicting the mice and replacing the interior and the power train. Guillet says it’s time to find a new owner so someone else can enjoy a piece of automotive history.
For those with a need for speed of another kind, a collection of furry four-footed speedsters gathered in Watrous Cenotaph Park for the Saskatchewan Agility Association. Owners brought agility dogs of all shapes and sizes to challenge the course and each other in a “Superdog” style raceway. From the diminutive Yorkie Spike to the ever-popular Corgi Chibi. and many other charmers, the dogs took to the course, some more reluctantly than others to meet the challenge and run with the kids gathered for the demos.
Nicole Leland of Saskatoon is relatively new to the organization, but she brings her enthusiasm and her love of canine competitors to the fold for the first time.
“They’ve been doing this demo for the last 15 years. The Saskatchewan organization runs through Agility Association of Canada (AAC) who has its own rules and guidelines. Typically, at a competitive trial, we’ll have a set course that’s numbered, and you follow the course as its numbered.”
The mood was more relaxed in Watrous with a modified course that allowed for the best action – pole weaving, tubes, hurdle gates and the see saw that caused the most nervous moments. The dogs spent some time at a meet and greet after the performance.
At the same time, fans outside the Watrous Heritage Centre were treated to music by recording artist Berk Jodoin.
The excitement continued up and down Main Street until the 3 pm wrap up when the autos made their way to the highway and off to Manitou Beach for the annual Fun Run. It all wrapped up with another great volunteer effort by the communities that spelled a big success and a huge gathering in Watrous and Manitou Beach.