Ice Racing

It’s Friday, February 4, 2011, but if it were the 1930s, we would be announcing ice racing on the Clyde River, and it would go something like this:

Ice Racing on the Clyde River will take place on Saturday afternoon, beginning after dinner and ending at dark. Some of the regulars will be Artie MacPhee, Cal & Mont Hyde from Clyde River and Leslie Mitchell from Nine Mile Creek. Others will be there from the surrounding areas. Harry MacLean and Watson Livingston will be judges and Toff Beaton, starter. The people of the community will be on the sidelines cheering them on.The winner will have bragging rights. Anyone who has a fast horse can enter.

For any of you reading this in 2011, please don’t show up tomorrow, as the river doesn’t freeze over as it did then. However, it is fun to imagine how much fun they must have had and their enthusiasm for getting out in the cold weather.

No Comments

  1. Doreen Beer Pound on February 4, 2011 at 10:57 am

    Great story!

  2. Lori Jensen on February 7, 2011 at 11:47 am

    I remember going to the “North River causeway” to watch racing on the ice. My Father (Mont Hyde) was mentioned but I was not even born yet (1930s) to remember racing on the Clyde River. I need to do some research. Thanks for the picture and the wonderful story!! If you can shed some light on those times, I would appreciate your email. Many thanks.

  3. Kate Clow McKinnon on February 10, 2011 at 5:19 pm

    I too remember going to North River Causeway with Dad in the winter when he raced there. It was a fun outing for us. Dad would take a couple of horses down, and drive. I was only small and can remember being scared of the cracks in the ice, and that the truck would go through the ice. Fun family times, and neighbourly rivalry.

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