Competition raises funds for breast cancer
KAREN LONGWELL
CODRINGTON Cowboys donned pink for a good cause on the weekend.
More than 180 teams from eastern Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec and New York attended the Tough Enough to Wear Pink Super Sort competition at the Homac Acres Cattle Ranch on July 2 and 3, said organizer Cathy McCann. Super Sort is a timed cowboy competition where teams of two sort numbered cattle in sequential order, said Ms. McCann. It is a relatively new cowboy competition for the area, she said.
This was the third year the Homac Ranch has Super Sort but the first time the event has teamed up with Tough Enough to Wear Pink to raise funds for the Breast Cancer Society of Canada, she said. She believes it is the first time the Tough Enough to Wear Pink event has been held in eastern Ontario.
After Ms. McCanns younger sister was diagnosed with breast cancer more than a year ago, she decided it was time to do something for the cause.
It was something I have thought about for a while and now that it is closer to home, it is time to do something, she said Saturday. Ms. McCann wore pink along with many fellow riders and took part in the competition. Her sister has since been given a clean bill of health.
The Super Sort competition has several categories based on riders ability and there was a youth category. Individuals can compete many times by forming a new team of two, said Ms. McCann. There was a total of 10,000 dollars in cash prizes for the event, she said.
The event raised funds for breast cancer through corporate donations, donations at the entrance gate and through the sale of Tough Enough To Wear Pink merchandise, said Ms. McCann. Still working on the final tally, Ms. McCann estimates the event raised more than 1,400 dollars for the Breast Cancer Society of Canada.
The McCann family plans to hold the event again at the Homac Acres Cattle Ranch.
It was a great success, said Ms. McCann.
Tough Enough to Wear Pink was created by entrepreneur and breast cancer survivor Terry Wheatley to bring the sport of professional rodeo and the western community together to rally against breast cancer. Since its inception in 2004, Tough Enough events have been held at rodeos and western events in the U.S. and Canada. To date, the campaign has raised 5 million dollars for breast cancer charities. For more information visit the website athttp://www.toughenoughtowearpink.com.
