A man from Grandmother’s Bay took home the King Trapper crown from the Prince Albert Winter Festival event this past weekend.
Norman McKenzie won gold, finishing beside his brother Gerald who got third and Richard Charles from Stanley Mission who took the silver.
Norman said it was a tight competition.
“Richard and I were tied (at) 48 points each going into the last event,” he said. “Gerald was one point behind us and tea-boiling was the last event. Whoever won that was crowned the King Trapper.”
Norman said he got second place in tea-boiling, but the man who won was farther behind the three top competitors so Norman was able to use his second place points to pull ahead.
Norman said he, his brother and Charles are usually on the podium together in different places but new competitors are also becoming great adversaries.
He said he tries to help the newcomers.
“I share all my tricks and techniques with them,” he said. “When I started, the guys were kind of hiding their tricks and techniques, and they didn’t want to share. But me, I’ll help the other competitors because I want them to continue on.”
Norman’s 11-year-old daughter has started training with him for Queen Trapper competitions.
Norman started competing at around 16-years-old but didn’t win until he was in his thirties.
He said it’s tough work so he trains all year.
“It helps you keep fit,” he said. “It’s almost like a sport. I play hockey just to try and keep fit then I do CrossFit with the (Jonas Roberts Memorial Community Centre). You got to keep in shape all year round just to do these events because doing 12 events in two days is kind of hard.”
Norman said he also quit smoking to ensure he was fit enough to win the events.
Norman will be competing this weekend at the Lac La Ronge Winter Festival King Trapper events.
(PHOTO: Norman McKenzie (centre) took first place at the King Trapper event at the Prince Albert Winter Festival. Richard Charles (left) finished in second and Gerald McKenzie (right) finished in third. Photo courtesy of Norman McKenzie.)