James Hargrave honoured at inaugural Heritage Gather

Aug 5, 2022 | 5:22 PM

DUNMORE, AB – The first-ever Heritage Gather is taking place at the Dunmore Equestrian Centre from Aug. 5-7.

The inaugural event, hosted by Rugged Rodeo, will include a powwow, relay races and live music. The event will also host an open rodeo which, according to Al Bouchard, president of Rugged Rodeo, will allow contestants from all walks of life to participate.

“There’s so many different levels of competitors, not just in rodeo, but in the ranch rodeo setting, that’s it’s hard to find places that [are] all-inclusive, where people at all levels can come,” Bouchard says. “That’s my theory behind an open rodeo.”

One of the main events at the Gather will be the James Hargrave memorial ranch scramble. Hargrave was a prominent member of the ranching community who also volunteered his time as a firefighter. Hargrave tragically lost his life fighting wildfires back in 2017. Corie Schock, director at the Dunmore Equestrian Centre knew of James through the close-knit ranching community and says it will be an honour to host the scramble in his name.

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“James Hargrave was an outstanding community member in so many ways,” Schock says. “We just thought if we could honour James in this fashion, in this kind of a setting, it would be wonderful.”

Schock asked Hargrave’s wife Liz for her blessing, and Liz and members of the Hargrave family will be in attendance throughout the event. Schock adds several of Hargrave’s friends will be participating in the ranch scramble, a further testament to Jame’s memory.

If you would like to support James Hargrave’s legacy in the ranching community, you can donate to the James Hargrave Legacy Fund. For tickets or more information on the Heritage Gather, you can visit the Dunmore Equestrian Centre’s website.

by Gates Guarin

James Hargrave honoured at inaugural Heritage Gather

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