Some women took the joshing seriously when told their gender wasn’t allowed to play in the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association summer golf tournament.
So they organized their own.
Born in humour, the Cattlewomen for the Cure golf tournament has a serious purpose. In its inaugural year it raised $35,000 for breast cancer research.
The Aug. 21 event attracted 144 golfing women from the prairie cattle industry to a golf course in Medicine Hat, Alta.
When asked if this would become an annual event, Peggy Checkel, chair of the organizing committee, said “you bet it is.”
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The 11 organizers weren’t just women ranchers. They represented various parts of agribusiness including bankers, feedlot buyers and animal drug companies.
The group is sending out surveys to this year’s participants to determine the best time and place for the tournament next year. Checkel said the best times are either mid-June “before everyone starts haying” or sometime in August before school and harvest.
The survey will also ask which charity or cause to support next year. Fundraising this year was done with corporate sponsorships, a silent auction after the tournament dinner and the $100 registration fees for the day.
Checkel said the occasion is meant to be fun.
“We had a lot of golfers who had never golfed before.”
To participate next year, call Checkel at 403-559-9927.
