According to Ivan Daines, horses and country music are a natural fit, and there are plenty of both to be found at the 37th Annual Ivan Daines, Friends & Heroes Country Music Pick-nic taking place August 7th through 11th at the Daines Ranch & Rodeo Grounds.
This idea, to blend music with horsemanship, came to Daines one evening many years ago, while he was on the rodeo circuit. "I got injured at a rodeo in Lethbridge, so I had to lay up a day or two while my knee healed," said Daines. "The great roper Jim Gladstone and I decided to kill some time and go to a Johnny Cash concert. Johnny was a big fan of trains, and while he was up there singing, he had this slide show going on behind him with all of these images of trains."
The idea of blending two passions in such a unique way really appealed to Daines. "I thought, wouldn't it be great if you could have live country music playing at the same time you had live horse demonstrations going on," he said. "And that's basically how it all got started."
The event continues to be a proud Innisfail tradition, some 37 years later. This year's Pick-nic will feature over 100 entertainers, including country musician Bobby Wills, who has been nominated this year for three Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) awards. Also headlining the event are hometown favourite, recording artist Denver Daines, as well as national recording artist Tera Lee, and 2012 Association for Country Music in Alberta (ACMA) nominee for Best Female Artist, Alee, who teams up with another very talented singer-songwriter to form the duo Alee & Lauren.
As far as entertainment goes, that is just the tip of the iceberg. "There are so many great entertainers participating. A lot of them are from right here in Central Alberta. Some are famous and some aren't famous yet, but all of them are extremely talented," said Daines. "And the riders and trainers we have out here this week are second to none."
For the mere ticket price of $30 per day or $75 for the week for adults, the Ivan Daines Country Music Pick-nic promises a whole lot of bang for your buck. In addition to the wealth of musical performers, there will be a pot-bellied pig who plays the mandolin, a mechanical bull to ride, karaoke, barrel racing, bull riding demonstrations and of course the Canadian Championship Horse Training Contest. There will also be activities for kids, old- fashioned barn dances, evening bonfires, beer gardens, and on Sunday morning, Cowboy Church, complete with music. The ticket price also includes camping for the whole week, beginning Monday, August 5th should anyone wish to come out early.
The Country Music Pick-nic is not only about music, horses, and being entertained for hours on end, however. It is also about giving back to one's community. This year, donations will be made to the Brain Injury Centre - Ponoka, Kidney Donation Support, and the Red Deer Hospice.
In keeping with that same spirit of giving back, Daines also recently added another show to the event. On Wednesday, August 7, for one day only, there will be a free concert for anyone who wishes to come out. Daines decided to add this special show because he was deeply moved by not only the plight of his fellow Albertans who lost so much in the recent floods, but also by the generosity of all those Albertans who helped out or who donated to flood recovery. Wednesday's show is a salute to everyone who was at all affected by the Alberta floods, who contributed to the recovery process in some way, or who wish to acknowledge those who did. "So basically, it is for every Albertan," said Daines, who will perform his new song, and YouTube video hit, Alberta Flood 2013 at the event. While the event is not really intended to be a fundraiser, Daines said that donations for the Red Cross will be accepted at the event, or people can donate on their own at www.redcross.ca. However, Daines insists, "donations are not at all required. Admission is free on Wednesday and everyone is welcome to come on out."
The concert on Wednesday and the regular Pick-nic events on Thursday both begin at 5 p.m. On Friday, activities kick off at noon. Saturday and Sunday's events begin at 10 a.m., with youth karaoke opening the day on Saturday, and Cowboy Church music on Sunday. Passes will be available at the gate, if you haven't already pre-purchased them.
"You won't want to miss any part of this year's show," said Daines. "The kind of talent you will find out here, all in one place -- well you just won't find that anywhere else!"
