ESTEVAN - The Estevan Humane Society's (EHS) annual Judy Martin Memorial Duck Derby was the best-supported edition of the fundraiser yet.
The maximum number of 4,000 ducks were sold for this year's event, held Sunday afternoon. The ducks were dropped into the Souris River from a front-end loader on the Highway 47 bridge. Then they floated down a brief stretch of the river until they reached the finish line.
Mary Cameron purchased the duck that reached the finish line first, earning her the $15,000 prize. Only first place received a prize.
Thanks to a breeze Sunday afternoon, the derby was completed in approximately 15 minutes. Estevan Humane Society president Tayja Lakusta was pleased to see the wind pick up.
"I was not excited this morning," Lakusta told the Mercury and SaskToday. "I came down and the water was still. There wasn't a breeze and the water was not moving. I was in it for the long haul, but I thought we're going to be here for an hour this year."
Many people gathered along the shores of the Souris River at the Woodlawn Regional Park's free park to watch the race.
Lakusta noted they sold 1,000 more ducks than last year. A couple hundred ducks were still available Sunday morning, but they were gobbled up by race time.
The Duck Derby has become the top fundraiser of the year for the EHS. Any little fundraiser that happens helps, she said, but this has become one that people look forward to because it's something different and it's a big prize for the winner.
"It's not your typical fundraiser, not your typical 50-50. You get to watch it and see how it works on its own. It has kept building every year, and we kept letting it grow on its own."
The money raised goes to normal operating costs of running an animal shelter, including food and vet bills.
Activities were held in the park prior to the derby. Weatherford was the sponsor of the barbecue; they brought their trailer and supplied all of the food for the day. A Cherry on Top served ice cream, Canuckcade had their bouncy castle and the Estevan Early Years Family Resource Centre had activities for children. The humane society had merchandise for sale.
The EHS also launched its new logo on Sunday, giving those who attended the Duck Derby a chance to see it first. The organization put out a call for graphic designers and anyone else to submit a design. The new logo was designed by Tressa Whitman with OnTrend Media Design Group.
"We picked what we liked the most, and then made alterations to that final design," said Lakusta.
The new logo is simple and similar to what the EHS had before, but it has been modernized.
The EHS continues to have an intake freeze for dogs and cats. Lakusta said there 20 dogs and puppies available at the shelter, which is more than ever, to go along with 60 cats.
"We have … between six to nine months and a year, so those good little older puppy ages, and then we also have older dogs, a couple of farm dogs that need to be placed, and we've got a variety of everything," said Lakusta.
Some of the dogs and cats are currently out in foster homes.
