The Boissevain Turtle Derby is history (discontinued in 2007) but in its heyday, it was a BIG DEAL, with some international implications.
From Wikipedia: (
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Turtle racing has since became popular in Canada. Boissevain, Manitoba, located near Turtle Mountain, began hosting the Canadian Turtle Derby in 1972. The Canadian Turtle Derby was initially a private race among several local turtle owners. It soon grew in popularity and began to feature parimutuel betting. Molson donated an electric starting gate to the event, which they claimed was the first electric starting gate to be used in a turtle race. Although there were just 83 turtles in the 1972 event, the field swelled to 447 turtles by 1983. The race takes place in a 15-metre (49 ft) circle. Other festivals around Canada host races in which the top turtles qualify to represent their city in the Canadian Turtle Derby.[20] Boissevain is now host to a turtle racing hall of fame and a large statue of a racing turtle. Initially crowning the Canadian Champion Turtle at the event, in 1974 they invited a top American turtle to the event to race the Canadian winner. Several thousand people attended the final race in the competition. Although the race was initially close, the Canadian turtle was victorious after the American turtle fell asleep halfway through the race."
The World's ONLY electric Turtle Starting gate was built for the Boissevain Turtle Derby, and is still here next to Tommy the Turtle, in downtown Boissevain.
More on the Boissevain Turtle Derby history and how Boissevain became home to all things turtle: (
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"The Boissevain Lions Club
invite you to a
40th Birthday Celebration
for Tommy Turtle
on Friday, July 18, 2014
Tommy, a 10,000 lb, 28 ft tall Turtle, is so much more than the fiberglass and resin that makes up his outer core. He is Boissevain’s mascot, its international representative, its biggest fan.
Forty years ago, on Tuesday, July 16, 1974, Tommy arrived in Boissevain to the accompaniment of a convoy of cars and the local fire truck. Two days later, on Thursday, July 18, Tommy was placed onto his home at the corner of Mountain Street and #10 Highway, where he has etched himself into Boissevain’s past, present and future. He watches over Boissevain from his 22 foot high perch as well as any mascot could.
The cost to bring Tommy to Boissevain was not a small one and some shopping around was done. The tall order of one English phrase speaking giant turtle would prove to be a hard one to fill. Finally, after contract problems with its first choice company, the town decided to go with Barone Sculptures of Winnipeg, who had previously sculpted Gimli’s Viking, Flin Flon’s Founder and the White Horse of White Horse Plains.
Wayne Pringle, Harry George and Jack Houston (who also happened to be members of the Boissevain Lions Club) along with George A. Dyck and Robert Warnez of the community, volunteered to co-sign a loan to cover the cost of the statue and site preparation. Eventually the Turtle Derby festival raised funds to pay off the loan and the cleared deed was placed in Tommy’s right shoulder, where it is believed to be still located to this day.
The turtle was originally erected as a symbolic icon for the community and the historic summer Canadian Turtle Derby. On August 25, 1972 Boissevain held its first annual Turtle Derby, and spectators enjoyed the excitement generated by the festivities surrounding the turtle racing competitions. The growing enthusiasm of turtle racing became a major tourism attraction for Boissevain. However, in 2001 the community ended the Turtle Derby, but “Tommy Turtle” still warmly greets visitors to the community."