A pair of horses had to be euthanized as a result of accidents during the North American Pony Chuckwagon Championships at Westerner Days.
Westerner Park reported a pair of incidents that resulted in injuries to two horses and a driver in a press release on its website on July 23.
According to the release, due to the severity of the injuries, an onsite veterinarian made the choice to euthanize the animals.
“As soon as the incident occurred, our experienced staff, together with emergency responders, swiftly intervened to provide medical attention to the injured parties,” as stated in the release.
“All on-track incident procedures were followed under the direction of the Infield Director and On Track Incident Emergency Response Coordinator.”
During the first day of the competition, chuckwagon driver Fred Eagles was knocked off his wagon and received medical attention. Soon after, he was taken to Red Deer Hospital for further care.
Westerner Park extended their sympathy to the driver’s family and explained while these incidents are rare, they are dedicated to learning from the experiences and improving their practices.
“The well-being of our visitors, participants, and animals is our top priority, and we will continue to prioritize their safety in all aspects of our events,” Westerner Park added.
“We appreciate the prompt response and professionalism demonstrated by our staff and emergency responders during this situation.”
