Get your game face on and head to Merritt, B.C., in June 2011 for the seventh annual ATV/BC Poker Ride—the biggest gathering of quadding and side-by-side enthusiasts in the province.
Members from ATV/BC clubs across the province will converge on the Merritt rodeo grounds for trail riding in Crown land on Saturday, June 25, 2011.
Wayne Dreger, a director with ATV/BC and one of the main organizers of the event, said he is expecting anywhere from 300 to 600 ATVers to come out for the ride.
It's in the cards
Over 100 kilometres of trail will be marked with flagging tape; riders will start with a couple of cards and receive more at a halfway station and one more at the end.
The poker hands work somewhat like bingo; each card in the hand will be matched up against a bingo-like template—with specific playing cards replacing the usual numbers—and players must make the best combination.
The first-place winner will receive $3,000; second will take away a quad trailer kit (an estimated value of $2,300) and third gets $500. Door prizes will also be handed out after the completion of the ride and there will be a raffle draw for a brand new ATV.
Make it a camping vacation
While the event is usually well supported by local riders, there is always strong representation from clubs in the far reaches of the province. People can camp out at the rodeo grounds beginning on June 21 and take off the day after the ride is over.
Being able to camp and ride one's quad or side-by-side right from their camper or trailer makes it easy for the riders who come out.
“People will come to it from a short distance away," said Dreger, "but they don’t make a big deal out of it, because it’s hard to find a camping area like we’re doing and be able to ride right from the camping area.”
The Poker Ride serves primarily as a fundraiser for ATV/BC—a provincial body that advocates for secure trail-riding areas as well as safe and responsible ATV operation.
Quadding is one of the fastest growing sports, but according to Dreger, people tend to develop an ill-informed opinion on ATVing based on the irresponsible actions of a few.
“We are just like other outdoor recreation users—we enjoy being out in nature,” he said. “But there are rules for a reason and riders must follow them.”
Comments