1

Hudson's Bay Dog Derby Queen and Princesses
Circa 1921
The Pas, Manitoba, Canada

Credits:
Sam Waller Museum Collection
The Pas Historical Society

2

The Fur Queen

In the early years of the Hudson Bay Dog Derby, the tradition of Carnival Queen and her Court was established. One of the earliest records of the Carnival Queen is from the 1919 Dog Derby. Miss Eva Armstrong won the title of the Carnival Queen that year and her court consisted of Miss Glennie Brown, Miss Margaret Wahn, Miss Flossie Armstrong, Miss Eileen Belton, Miss Jean Halcrow and Miss Itola Clapp. These young women assisted the judges in handing out prizes to the dog mushers. During the 1924 The Pas Dog Derby the Carnival Queen, Miss Matilda Yesowski, made the announcement of the winner of the 200-Mile Dog Derby. Ever since, there has been a Queen of the Festival with competitors from various parts of the region.

In 1948 with the official premiere of the Northern Manitoba Trappers' Festival, the Fur Queen Contest became more competitive, with women gaining 'points' throughout the festival for their beauty, poise, personality and talent. The winner was crowned and received a parka and a trip. Two major fur auction houses in Winnipeg underwrote the cost of the Queen and her court - the fur coat for the Queen and the Queen's trip to Chicago. An organization or group from various areas in and around The Pas sponsored the contestants. Each sponsor had to meet a quota of fundraising in order to qualify their candidate for entry into the local contest. There was also a number of fundraising tickets each contestant was required to sell. The fundraising proceeds went towards the prize money for the World Championship Sled Dog Race.

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Fur Queen Contestants
Circa 1943
The Pas, Manitoba, Canada

Credits:
Sam Waller Museum Collection
Bert Hutton
Tanis Asselstine

4

Crowned in 1948, the first Fur Queen was Ruth Anderson of Churchill, Manitoba. She wore a velvet fur trimmed costume, a red velvet robe, and was given a muskrat fur coat. Other gifts included a return plane trip to Chicago, six pairs of Phantom Pencil Seam nylons, and two pairs of Colombine shoes. After her crowning she led the Festival parade, seated on a huge polar bear skin throne that was part of a float covered in bearskins. Three other candidates were Sylvia Pangrass (Miss Sherridon), Bernice Walstrom (Miss Swan River) and Terry Gamache (Miss The Pas). Each Princess received a Bulova watch, two pairs of Phantom Pencil Seam nylons, and one pair of Colombine shoes. The Fur Queen and her court were also given a sightseeing tour of the district by air, courtesy of The Pas Airways.

As the years progressed, the Fur Queen and her Princesses received lovely gifts, many donated by The Pas merchants, and some from nation-wide firms. Women from all over Northern Manitoba would came to The Pas to participate and compete for the title. There were some years when the Fur Queen winner went on to compete in the Miss Canada pageant.

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Fur Queen Candidates
Circa 1978
The Pas, Manitoba, Canada

Credits:
Sam Waller Museum Collection
Ted Tadda

6

Modern Day Fur Queen Requirements and Duties

Fur Queens in recent years have been required to do an extraordinary amount of fundraising. The monies received go towards the prize money for the World Championship Sled Dog Race as part of their contribution to Trappers' Festival. These young women start their fundraising initiatives by the end of November and continue right up until the Festival. During the event the Fur Queens are constantly in the spotlight as they participate in various activities. They are judged on their poise, community involvement, spirit and their decorum. The contestants are judged throughout the Festival, and the girls are not privy to the identity of the judges. On the Saturday of Trappers' Festival the new Fur Queen is crowned.

The Fur Queen competition consists of an application process wherein the Trappers' Festival Board approves each application. Generally up to ten applicants are accepted. Prior to the crowning, the Fur Queen candidates participate in the Fur Queen Pageant wherein each young woman must deliver a speech and demonstrate a talent. Talents have ranged from singing, and dancing, to playing a musical instrument. The Fur Queens are judged by a point system at the various events such as the Tea and Fashion Show, Fur Queen Pageant, and other events during the Festival.

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Fur Queen Candidates
Circa 1980
The Pas, Manitoba, Canada

Credits:
Sam Waller Museum Collection
The Pas Historical Society

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The Pas Dog Derby Queen Candidates
Circa 1927
The Pas, Manitoba, Canada

Credits:
Sam Waller Museum Collection
The Pas Historical Society

9

Over the years the Fur Queen Talent Show has been held at the local high school or at the Roy H. Johnston Arena. As late as the 1970s many of the women competing in the Fur Queen competition came from other communities in northern Manitoba. During her year as reigning Fur Queen, the incumbent represents the community of The Pas and the Northern Manitoba Trappers' Festival at various events and festivals throughout the province. One year, the Fur Queen went as far as Yellowknife as part of a Northern Manitoba Trappers' Festival delegation. Since 2004, the Fur Queen has been invited to run in the Miss Manitoba Contest.

"I was the first one after, I don't know how many years since the Miss Manitoba started up. So I did the Miss Manitoba. I didn't place but it was a very good experience. But now each year the girls that win go on to the Miss Manitoba." - Kimberly Commordore, 2004 Fur Queen

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Fur Queen & Candidates
Circa 1966
The Pas, Manitoba, Canada

Credits:
Sam Waller Museum Collection
Opasquia Times

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The 2006 Fur Queen, Shauna Ponask, set up a $500 post secondary education bursary for the winner of the Fur Queen contest. Subsequent Fur Queens have kept up the tradition.

"I wanted something special for girls running for Fur Queen and to encourage them to go to school and get an education. I proceeded with fundraisiers such as bake sales and fifty/fifty draws and raised $440 and the Trappers' Festival Board donated $60 to make an even $500 education bursary for the next year's winner. If the winner does not plan to go to school, the bursary would be passed onto the runner up and so forth but in all likelihood, somebody will use this bursary for school. So I started this initiative and maybe the next year's queen can do the same thing, make it a tradition. So you're giving back to the organization." - Shauna Ponask

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Fur Queen Contest
Circa 1929
The Pas, Manitoba, Canada

Credits:
Sam Waller Museum Collection

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Fur Queen Candidates
Circa 1926
The Pas, Manitoba, Canada

Credits:
Sam Waller Museum Collection
Joan Bidinosti

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The Pas Winter Carnival Fur Queen Candidates
Circa 1927
The Pas, Manitoba, Canada

Credits:
Sam Waller Museum Collection
Joan Bidinosti