King Trapper Events

2008 King Trapper-Durwin McKenzie

Director Allan Fredrickson --Runner Up-Gerald McKenzie--Director Wilf Lamontagne

2008 King Trappers' Competition

 

Hello! Welcome to the 61^st annual Trappers’ Festival!  Once again we will compete for the prestigious King Trapper title, and as defending champion, I welcome all challengers whether they are young or old.  I’ll be back… faster, stronger and more strategic. As all competitors know, to be good at this sport, you have to be  good at a few things, like trapping and hunting, be in great shape, and buy the best equipment.   Most of all, train hard, eat good, and refrain from getting injured. I started competing at a very young age when trapping was still the main source of sustenance for our family.   This year will make 25 years of competition for me.  On this road of many tales, I’ve met many different kinds of people, all who’ve accepted us into their communities.  Without their support and kindness, I couldn’t have been as successful as I’ve been; thanks everyone.  Trappers’ Festival is very unique and an experience you’ll never forget… you’ll either have the best time of your life or freeze your butt off, in both cases it’s a lot of fun, so come out and learn the ways of the trapper.  You’ll also pick up plenty of ways to survive in the wild.  I would like to thank all who’ve made this festival a success each and every year.  The volunteers like Wilf and his assistants; without you this festival wouldn’t be as well organized as it is.
 

Regards

Gerald McKenzie   

 

Click here to Follow the Trappers' Circuit

   

Competitor/Bib #	Thursday 9:00 Start									Friday								Saturday 3:00 Flour Packing
	Ice Hole Chop	Ice Fishing	Canoe Packing	Portage Race	Pack Race	Sled Pull	Moose Calling	Goose Calling		Axe Throwing	Log Throw	Pulp Cutting	Wood Sawing	Pole Climbing	Snowshoe Race	Raw Fur		Tea Boiling	Fried Bannock	Rat Skinning	Trap Setting	Flour Packing	Buckskin Parade	Leg Wrestling	Total
Durwin McKenzie	4	5	5	1	5	4	5	3		5	3	2		3	7			2		5	4		1	6	70
Gerald McKenzie	3		2	4	4		1	1		3	4	5	5			5		4	4	1	5	6	1	4	62
Norman McKenzie	5	4	1	5	2	5				4	2	3	3	4	5				2		1		1	5	52
John Hendrikson			4	3	3	1					5		2	5	6	4			1		3	7	1	7	52
Kirby Sinclair		2	3	2	1	2	4	5		2		4	4			3		5	3	2			1		43
Abel Crane	1					3	2	4		1		1	1		4			3		4		5	1		30
James Buck	2	3					3	2										1	5	3	2		1	3	25

 

R=Rookie (No rookies in 2008)

We have the King Trappers from 2002-2007 competing against each other.  It is the battle of King against King, and there are some very spry younger competitors. 

 

Trappers' Festival 2006----34 °F / -36 °C (2006)  February 16 an all time record was set.  Dog races were postponed from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. to get the windchill factor down a bit.  In the meantime, the King Trappers' were out on the ice, doing their icehole chop at 9 a.m. on the wide open Saskatchewan River!  Trappers events continued without delay.  Now that's Northern toughness!  Looks like 2008 will be a repeat.  Or worse, break the record!

 2007 Final Results

Check out 2007 Competitors and 2007 Events

Flour Packing Video

Prizes

King Trapper

Trophy, $1000 prize money Sponsored by Aseneskak Casino

2 Round trip ticket to Winnipeg, sponsored by Calm Air

Runner Up 

Plaque, $500 prize money sponsored by Aseneskak Casino

Rookie

Trophy, $100 prize money sponsored by Wilf's Hauling

History of King Trapper

The King Trapper contest was inaugurated in 1955. Up to that time there had always been a Queen of the Festival so why not a King? King Trapper means competition, skill and endurance and the title is awarded to the fellow securing the most total points in all of the various contests and sporting events.  There also is a Junior King Trapper event for the "trapper in training".

These events have hardy northerners competing one against the other in contests which are indicative of the art and skill required by the early inhabitants to gain their livelihood and, in some cases, their very survival. The 22 events are: Pole Climbing, Pulp Cutting, Wood Sawing and Splitting, Log Throwing, Canoe Packing, Rat Skinning, Trap Setting, Pack Race, Tea Boiling, Bannock Baking, Ice Hole Chop, Ice Fishing, Moose Calling, Goose Calling, Leg Wrestling, Marathon Snowshoe Race, Flour Packing, Wild Fur Competition, Fish Filleting, Axe Throwing, Buckskin Parade and Portage.

The flour packing contest has its roots in the early days when supplies were brought in birch bark canoes and packed over numerous portages. The contestant carries anywhere from 700 to 1000 pounds, on their back for 20 ft.  The record for flour packing is still held by Henry Sayese. In the 1920's he packed 1200 pounds!!  The winner used to get to keep the flour and also received a cash prize.  Today the prize money has increased.

The ice hole chop is done in all types of weather from -15 to -40 ^oC to open the lake or river for water and ice fishing to catch their meals.

Pole climbing is a test of speed based on the practice of shimmying up a tree to survey the land or escape animals.

The contestant's culinary skills are also tested with  bannock baking, and some years, fish frying. The food is produced over an open fire and judged by an appreciative audience.

In the tea boiling, the contestants line up, race to their individual piles of wood, split kindling, start their fire, melt snow in their tea pail to make it about half full of water and when it comes to a boil, put in the tea. Speed is the main requisite of this contest.  The record for tea boiling is just over four minutes from start to finish. The bannock baking takes a little longer, (between 30 to 45 minutes) using the same fire, as the coals are already available. Each contestant is given a supply of flour, baking powder, lard and salt. These contests take place out of doors often in 20 to 30 degrees below weather.

Muskrat skinning is another interesting event. The contestants are judged on the quality of their workmanship, the condition of the pelt and the time.

The remainder of the King Trapper events are judged on time and skill of the competitors vying for bragging rights.

Many events are set up for the fastest time and each competitor must enter at least 21 out of 22 events. The contest is based on a point system and the contestant who gains the most points bears the title "King Trapper", receives the trophy and a cash prize. The winner of each category secures a cash prize also. In the later years, the King Trappers was changed to World Champion King Trapper events as it brought competitors from the North, South, East, and West competing for the honors.

An addition a few years back, has been the “Rookie” category.  This is to encourage first time competitors to enter into the World Champion King Trapper event.  They compete for a separate trophy and prize money, as well as any money they may have earned during the competition.

The competitors all work and encourage each other on as if they were one family, even though they are competing against each other for the most points and the title. The King Trapper proves to be a special breed of man - a man adapt at handling the rigorous life of a northern outdoorsman!

Hope to see one and all in mid-February for the Festival.

Wilf Lamontagne

Director, King Trapper Events

Thursday morning is a complementary invitational King Trapper Breakfast at the Wescana.

King Trapper Rules and Event Sponsors

Click here for more 2006 pics

January 14, 2008----Richard Danielson in the news

Past King Trappers