A demolition derby competition during Party in the Pasture at St. Walburg Exhibition grounds on Saturday, June 7, 2025. (Kenneth Cheung/ battlefordsNOW staff)
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WATCH: Party in the Pasture roars through St. Walburg

Jun 9, 2025 | 2:55 PM

When Bryon Gabrielli watched the super-modified race cars tear down the track in St. Walburg this past weekend, it wasn’t just about the speed — it was about the feeling.

“They’ve got over 4000 horsepower,” he said. “They just get your body all vibrating and it’s just loud and fast, and it’s great.”

Gabrielli helped run this year’s Party in the Pasture, a high-octane summer festival that returned to the town from June 6 to 8 at the Exhibition grounds. For nearly eight years, the former horse track has been transformed into a racing venue for dragsters, mud boggers and demolition derby drivers. The event is a major fundraiser for the community.

“This is just something a little bit different, it brings a different crowd in,” Gabrielli said. “All our funds that we raise here at Party in the Pasture go back into our rec facilities… the baseball diamonds, the curling rink, hockey rink, bowling alley, all that stuff is all under one entity.”

“It’s just loud and fast,” said Bryon Gabrielli, the tracks’ organizer. (Kenneth Cheung/ battlefordsNOW Staff)
The ‘Super Modified on Pro Pits.” (Kenneth Cheung/ battlefordsNOW staff)
(Kenneth Cheung/ battlefordsNOW Staff)
(Kenneth Cheung/ battlefordsNOW staff)

Gabrielli served as the liaison between three racing clubs: The Canadian Mud Racer’s Organization (sand and mud drag racing), the Alberta Mud Racing Association (ATV events), and the tough truck division, which sent modified trucks flying over jumps and through muck. A demolition derby rounded out the motorsport action.

The weekend also featured slo-pitch tournaments, a beef brisket supper, kids’ activities, food trucks, a vendor show, and live entertainment. Friday night opened with a DJ, karaoke and party games in what organizers dubbed the “bush party.” Saturday night ended with a cabaret featuring Jordan Pollard and the Dirt Rich Band.

ATV Mud Racing. (Kenneth Cheung/ battlefordsNOW staff)
(Kenneth Cheung/ battlefordsNOW staff)
(Kenneth Cheung/ battlefordsNOW staff)

The festival wrapped up Sunday with final races across all divisions and an awards presentation to celebrate top performers and volunteers.

For Justin Novak, president of the Communiplex Fundraising Committee, the event had one central goal: keeping the local community centre up and running.

“At the end of the day it’s all about raising money for our communiplex,” Novak said. “This year our ice plant… it’s pooched. It’s done. So we need to replace it before next year… it will be about $400,000 for us to rebuild it.”

Demolition derby. (Kenneth Cheung/ battlefordsNOW staff)
Demolition derby. (Kenneth Cheung/ battlefordsNOW staff)
Demolition derby. (Kenneth Cheung/ battlefordsNOW staff)
Demolition derby. (Kenneth Cheung/ battlefordsNOW staff)

Novak said last year’s event raised $80,000 to help cover facility upgrades and operational costs.

“We did put that money towards capital upgrades and… some of the money towards the operating cost of the facility,” he said. “It really keeps our communiplex going.”

Gabrielli, who grew up around race cars and still owns a few of his own, said it’s the noise, speed and camaraderie that bring him back every year.

“You get good bonds with [the racers], and you can meet up with them on off seasons, and they just treat you like families,” he said. “Once you get bit by it, you’re hooked for life.”

ATV racing (Kenneth Cheung/ battlefordsNOW staff)
(Kenneth Cheung/ battlefordsNOW staff)

Kenneth.Cheung@pattisonmedia.com

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