Counting The Days

We issue a sigh of relief at the news that a group of Waitsburgers has sunk their teeth into plan- ning for a landmark 2013 event in town: the 100th anniversary of the Days Of Real Sport. The group, which includes Mayor Walt Gobel and his wife Gwen, head of the Waitsburg Parade; Dan McKinley of the Days Of Real Sport; Jeff Broom of the Waitsburg Historical Society, Joy Smith of the Waitsburg Commercial Club, Carl Newell of the Waitsburg City Council, Lisa Naylor of the Blue Mountain Rural Conservation & Development Council, community activists Larry and Deanne Johnson, and Darlene Dozier, has began looking at a host of possible horse-related and family- oriented activities for the weekend of May 17.

That third weekend in May has always been special to Waitsburg. Not just because of the traditional horse racing that went on at the fairgrounds for nearly a century (some annual exceptions not withstanding), but also for its proud parade and community activities that made it an yearly fixture in the calendars of organizers, volunteers, fair court royalty, horse enthusiasts, returning Cardinals and visitors from all over.

The group's dream, which certainly seems within reach, is to keep the weekend extravaganza on that calendar for everyone, whether the serious pari-mutuel racing returns as its core attraction or not.

We believe this is a welcome, constructive and realistic ap- proach given the uncertainty surrounding the future of horse racing on our smaller bush circuit. It's not that we believe it can't or shouldn't. If horse racing can be brought back as a cornerstone of the Days Of Real Sport, we think it should.

But we also believe it's best for Waitsburg and Dayton (for Dayton Days) not to, for lack of a better word, bet on that.

And that's precisely why we feel the Waitsburg group's approach is the right one because it does not aim to replace horse racing or write it out of the lineup. Its tentative schedule allows plenty of flexibility to put it back on the books if fund- ing and insurance issues can be resolved.

What's remarkable about the group's plans is that every- thing and nothing has changed in the ten decades since the horse show that preceded the later-named Days Of Real Sport began before World War I.

What's changed is the variety of horse-related activities now being considered to draw in crowds: barrel racing, cow- girl rodeo/racing, fair court races and so on. Few of those contests, all based on women's participation in their sport, were around back in the day when few ladies could be seen trotting steeds around the grounds that eventually became the domain of jockeys and thoroughbreds.

Back then, most women were either spectators or safely ensconced in the carriage behind the horse or team, though some female riders took part in other aspects of the horse shows that were later eclipsed by horse racing. Now, girls and women dominate many horse-related sports, particularly the ones being considered for the 2013 Days Of Real Sport.

What hasn't changed is the weekend's focus on horses, which reflects the staying power of a culture that runs through the veins of generations in this valley. In turn, the energy behind efforts to sustain the event bodes well for the town's prospects as a destination, strengthening existing resources, i.e. the fairgrounds, as the facility where other horse-related activities could blossom throughout the warmer seasons.

Better and more frequent use of the fairgrounds is a goal almost everybody in this community can get behind. With the help of Lisa Naylor's group, the Blue Mountain Rural Con- servation & Development Council, the fairgrounds' grand stand may well qualify for corporate grants.

In a nutshell, the 100th anniversary of the Days Of Real Sport is a real opportunity to breathe new life into the whole third weekend in May and give it the kind of momentum that will last for many decades to come, mixing old and new traditions that seems to fit with the One Of A Kind western town we are.