Maple Creek 20th Annual Cowboy Poetry Gathering & Western Art and Gear Show
September 18, 19, 20, 2009

Guitar pickers, singers, cowboy poets, horsemen and artists of all types and description  converged on a little town nestled up against the Cypress Hills in the south western part of Saskatchewan. It was the third weekend in September. What's the attraction in Maple Creek? It was Maple Creek's 20th Annual Cowboy Poetry Gathering & Western Art and Gear Show. And this year the lines were especially long.

Artists and entertainers alike from all points across Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Alberta and Montana were in these lines. Crowds from far and wide followed closely behind to see the show. Campers, travel trailers, tents and simple bedrolls came a calling. Campgrounds were full, hotels were full and the bakery - ohhhh, that bakery was full and on top of that the good citizens from all around the area were waiting with open arms for their assigned billets to arrive. Oh, folks it was a sight to see; a sight to see!

Arts and crafts sales, they say, went through the roof this year. Many's a vendor said their packing up day was as easy as throwing empty bins and racks into the back of their vehicle and heading for home.

But I am not here to talk on their successes; I'm here to talk on the entertainment successes. And it was a success with a capital S from the time the Maple Creek Committee put their minds to work until the last person cleared the stage.

You could see Ann Lansdell scouting the different venues over the summer to pick her entertainers and she picked well. Al Owchar, Buddy Gale, Dave Dance, Rod Erickson to name a few of the main stagers along with their MCs, Diamond Doug Keith and Howard Norskog. Ed Brown was there as was Bud and Jill Stewart, Larry Krause, Vic Stuckey, Jon Bowie and Hazel Rust, Doc Hayes, Vivia Oliver, Noel Burles, Chris and Sharkey, The Moncrieffs and of course Tex Florence.

And that grand lady of cowboy poetry, Doris Bircham, was overseeing her flock of friends and entertainers that she has so graciously helped over the years.

During the show, Lynda, of the web wranglers team of John and Lynda Kerekes, tapped me on the shoulder and said, "We just have to write this one up for the web page. Look at the people! Look at how happy they are. They aren't moving except to get meals and then they are running right back here." Okay, so that ain't quite how it was but she did say, "These people will be back time and time again if we give them shows like this every time."

I know, I've missed some entertainers and I do apologize, but this weekend was just so overwhelming in the sheer excitement and good times and sheer volume of people at each stage. Elks Hall was full for almost every performance. The bar of the curling rink was close to capacity all day and the Armouries - ah, yes, they have gone back to the Armouries, thank you - and it was well over a hundred and close to two hundred for each and every performance and capacity at nights.

And what entertainment sets! The committee put together set after set of entertainers that meshed with each other and were so compatible that it seemed they were practised and choreographed. Man, I was proud of how the ACPA members rose to the occasion and gave it their all.

I was fortunate enough to be set up on three sets with Bud and Jill Stewart and Ed Brown. Let me say this: Bud and Jill are becoming top hand MCs. They know when to come up front and when to stay back and give the stage to others; a true sign of a professional.

Ed Brown is another who steps into the spotlight when it is his turn and then steps back to allow others their turn. I love working with these people as they are such top notch performers and they raise the bar and make me reach purty high. These are the kinds of people I watch and learn from. It appears that quite a few others were doing likewise.

Even though I have written a million words here, I can say I was left speechles ... nah, I guess I was so happy with the whole affair and the pride I felt for the effort put forth by a wonderful Committee in Maple Creek and our own ACPA entertainers that it left me babbling.

Kudos, Maple Creek for a wonderful Gathering and if you don't mind, I'd sure like an invite again next year.

by Ol' Ugly