King Trapper Richard Charles and Queen Trapper Clarissa Burns stand alongside their fellow competitors during the trophy presentation on Sunday afternoon. (Prince Albert Winter Festival/Facebook)

By Logan Lehmann

Festival Finale

P.A. Winter Festival wraps up with Trapper, Sled Dog events

Feb 24, 2025 | 7:25 AM

As the 61st annual Prince Albert Winter Festival drew to a close on Sunday, hundreds flocked to watch as the winners of the King and Queen Trapper and Dog Sled racing events were crowned.

The action was held in a field next to 36th Street West, near the Rose Garden Hospice.

When it came to the King and Queen Trapper event, it was a case of déjà vu as this year’s winners also took home the title last year.

Stanley Mission’s Richard Charles was named King Trapper with 71 total points, beating out Clint Merasty who placed second with 57 points. Behind him was Abel Crane in third with 43 points.

In the Queen Trapper event, Prince Albert’s Clarissa Burns won again as she has every year since it was first introduced. She finished with 65 points and not too far behind her was Flora Whitecap in second with 59 points. Last but not least, placing third and rounding out the participants was Veronica Laliberte with 46 points.

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The final results from the King and Queen Trapper. (Logan Lehmann/paNOW Staff)

The Junior Trapper events were just as exciting, with many more youth competitors compared to years past.

Willow Bearhead, a Junior Trapper event organizer said it was a massive success.

“I’m happy with the outcome of it all. The youth had a great time, a lot of the adults that were watching – they were cheering, good spirits. It was an overall great event.”

The King and Queen Trapper includes events like animal calls, log tossing, axe throwing, snowshoe racing, sled pulling, and water boiling, while the Junior Trapper try their hands at rope winding, nail pounding, trap setting, and flour bag packing.

A Junior Trapper races in the flour bag packing event. (Logan Lehmann/paNOW Staff)

Like the Trapper events, the Dog Sled races also captured a lot of attention both in terms of the spectators and participants with some coming from Quebec and even Germany.

In the end, it was Porcupine Plain’s own Carl Knudsen who took home the flagship 10-dog racing trophy – his third time accomplishing the feat. He said he missed the last few years due to racing elsewhere but was happy to be back in P.A. for his “hometown race”.

10-dog sled race champion Carl Knudsen accepts his trophy from Chrissy Halliday. (Logan Lehmann/paNOW Staff)

The 61st Prince Albert Winter Festival officially wrapped up Sunday evening with a Gospel Show at the E.A. Rawlinson Centre.

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loganc.lehmann@pattisonmedia.com

On Bluesky: @loganlehmann.bsky.social