STURGIS-The Sturgis Horse and Rider statue has served the community since its placement in 1990 as an art piece that represents the Sturgis Sports and Rodeo. In the summer of 2020 the original horse and rider were replaced with a new horse and rider statue. Terry Hancock. long time member of the community and presently a resident at the Preeceville Long Term Care, made a $1,000 donation towards the statue back in 2020 when the statue was purchased.
“The old statue had been worn and broken and it was just as financially cost effective to replace it with a new one instead of repairing the first one,” said Amanda Masley, Town of Sturgis administrator.
“Town council members began the planning stages back in 1989 when the idea was brought up to erect a horse and rider statue in acknowledgment of the Sturgis Sports and Rodeo. We had looked at different ones and came to the conclusion to purchase a bucking horse and rider. But once we received the statue it was a different design that we had originally thought we had purchased.” said Bert Suknasky, past council member who was part of the planning conception idea.
The horse and rider are located along the highway in Rodeo Falls Park adjacent to the Sturgis R.E.A.D Club. A plaque commemorating the statue was presented by past mayor Bud Morken to Barb Wagar and Jim Goulden, Economic Development Committee members, in June 1990.
The park was named by Laura Beatty after she had won the Name the New Park contest.
The plaque attached to the statue states,” The early sports and rodeo of Sturgis took place on July 4 at a downtown vacant lot. It moved to the natural amphitheatre on the town’s edge in 1945. Attractions expanded and the event moved to Canada Day, July 1 and grew into the biggest one- day sports and rodeo in Saskatchewan, through the cooperative efforts of the Town and District. Town council members at the time were: mayor Bud Morken and councillors, Tom Desroches, Raymond Skogen, Eva Mitchell, Bert Suknasky, Adolf Urbanoski, and Mike Wisoley.”
