Frozen Pond Plunge & Drag Beauty Queens
Winter Carnival this Friday and Saturday
by Rob Shaul, Pinedale Roundup
March 3, 2005
The fourth annual Green River Valley Winter Carnival begins this Friday night, March 4, and all day Saturday, March 5. The aim of the Winter Carnival is to lighten up the dark depths of winter with some crazy, fun, and cabin fever-busting events.
The "fun" begins at 7 p.m. with the "Winkie Shrinker Frozen Fishing Pond Plunge" at the Town Park in Pinedale. This is the second year of this ice-defying event designed for the hard core or fool hardy. Last year, eight brave souls donned bathing suits and flip flops, and jumped into the frozen kid's fishing pond. The air temperature that day was a balmy -6 degrees! Participants who take the "plunge" all the way (wet hair) will receive one-of-a-kind boxer shorts for their shivering and the right to call all their friends who didn't jump in wussies!
After you take the plunge, calmly get dressed and hoof it over to the Corral Bar for the Mountain Man and Woman Arm Wrestling Tournament. Strong-armed competitors will be divided into three weight classes each for men and women, and the 2005 champions will be awarded a cash prizes. Registration for the tournament begins at 7:30 p.m. and the arm wrestling begins at 8 p.m.
Arm worn out? Too bad, because it's time for men to don dresses, high heels, a wig and fake boobs for the "Frostbite Princess Drag Beauty Pageant" also being held at the Corral Bar. This crazy, adult-oriented event is the best entertainment you'll see all winter. Registration for the beauty pageant begins at 9:30 p.m., and the "ladies" start strutting their stuff at 10 p.m. The pageant "winner" will receive a hot pink sash and a cool $200.
All the Winter Carnival events on Saturday, March 5 will be held at the Pinedale Rodeo Grounds. Saturday morning is dedicated to kids, their parents and their dogs with the "White Out Kid's Winter Olympics." Registration at 9 a.m. The kid's Olympics are generously sponsored by ExxonMobil. All the Winter Olympic events are held in succession, so if they want, kids can compete in each one.
Events include the "Snowshoe Biathlon." This past favorite tests kid's physical condition and marksmanship. Kids are outfitted in snowshoes, and sent on a course to shoot at targets with Nerf dart guns. The races are run in heats, and the first through third place winners in each age group all receive medals. Snowshoes and dart guns are provided. In the "Iditakid Dog Sled Dog Race" a kid is pulled by his or her dog on a sled in this fun race that runs in heats. Sleds and dog harnesses are provided - and the top three dogs get bones, while the winning kids get medals. Parents or adults pull kids in the "Pack the Kid Up the Hill" sled race. The adult pulls the kid up the hill, both sled down together and race back to the finish line. The top three adults and kids win medals.
Kids get to show off their upper body strength in the "Mountain Boy & Girl Arm Wrestling Tournament." There are three age classes each for boys and girls, and the top three winners get medals. The kid's Olympics concludes with the "Jack Frost Frozen Money Scramble." In this finger-staining event, kids ages 8 and under scramble for 25¢, 50¢ and $1 coins frozen in blue, red and yellow ice cubes.
Sixteen teams of ranchers and work horses from Idaho and Wyoming take center stage at 1 p.m. for the "Frozen Tundra Team Pull." The team pull was the favorite event during the old Pinedale Winter Carnival held in the 1980s, and this is the first year its been brought back. These huge, powerful horses will pull up to 10,000 pounds in this competitive event. Horses also have a part in the Ski Joring event which begins at 3:30, also at the Pinedale Rodeo Grounds. Riders and horses pull skiers and snowboarders through a course of jumps and tight cuts. Winners receive medals.
Running concurrently with Ski Joring will be the "White Fang Dog Weight Pull." Dogs and their owners compete in separate weight classes pulling a weighted sled by rounds of elimination. The winning dogs get bones and the winning handlers get medals. All of the Green River Winter Carnival Events are designed to be as participant and spectator-friendly as possible. So get out there. Questions? Call Rob at 367-2123. (Pinedale Roundup)
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