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Pat Provost knows plenty of people who would like a taste of his ranching and rodeoing way of life; his problem is figuring out how to best market it.
That's why the Peigan rancher and rodeo stock supplier recently invited tour operators to give him feedback on a new three-day package that his company Sundance Traditional Tours, plans to introduce in June.
"We have to learn how bus tour operators run their businesses," Provost told a handful of people sitting around the boardroom of the Aboriginal Tourism Authority in Calgary on March 19.
Tour operators acknowledged that Sundance has a prairie paradise to market. The Peigan reserve's big sky, ridge of distant blue mountains and endless hectares of virgin grassland dotted with small herds of wild horses is still wild and open.
"The scene hasn't changed in 250 years," said a narrator on Sundance's 20-minute promotional video, Wild Horse Round Up.
Today, just as in times past, the Blackfoot are still the "mounted lords of the plains." Now, however, the masters of horseflesh wear jeans, leather chaps and cowboy hats.
Instead of chasing buffalo, today's Native riders gallop across the 30,000-hectare fence-free Peigan community pasture in order to lasso what will become some of North America's finest bucking horses.
That chase for wild horses is at the heart of Sundance's three-day package. Provost plans to have tourists join his trail hands as they drive a herd of wild horses about 15 km from his ranch on the Peigan reserve to Fort Macleod.
"I have been doing it for years and I still get excited chasing horses," said Provost, who also owns Sundance Rodeo Company, which supplies 10 to 20 wild broncing horses to the Alberta and British Columbia rodeo circuits each year.
Following the trail drive, guests will then enjoy a barbecue and two-hour Wild West Show held at the 4,000-seat arena in Fort Macleod.
"We are going to combine Native culture and a wild west rodeo," said Provost, the grandson of Nap Provost, one of Alberta's leading horse ranchers from the 1920s to the 1950s. "No one had a horse drive and show in their package until we developed it."
Individual tour operators wanted to know if their particular clients could buy just part of the package. Outdoors-oriented tourists might only want the trail ride and tipi camping.
"It's always a question of price," said Susanne Eugster, president of Creative Western Adventures Ltd. of Calgary. Her clients, she explained, are frugal, outdoor-oriented European travellers.
Jim Townshend of Destination Canada Travel and Tours Ltd. knows his Asian and Korean clients like the comfort of air-conditioned tour buses, so they might be happy with just the barbecue, Wild West Show and trip to Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump.
Provost said they would consider options.
Some things were not negotiable, however. The six-person tipis, for instance, come with sleeping bags-preferably the ones the guests bring themselves-instead of white linens or beds.
"If you want that, you can get it at the Holiday Inn," said Provost, who has guided trail rides in Ontario and down the Oldman River. Showers are not included either, he added, but the Oldman River is handy. Tour operators also wanted to know how Sundance would handle cancellations caused by bad weather? Rain, Provost replied in true cowboy style, is part of the experience.
Many Aboriginal attractions just have people sit there, he explained. "They haven't really experienced anything. But when you chase horses to Fort Macleod, you are part of the action."
And if a person can't ride? Wagons will be provided for the young, the elderly and those unaccustomed to riding. (The first day of the tour included a horsemanship clinic.)
Provost also answered concerns about safety, first aid and security. Yes, Visa and MasterCard are welcome; family rates may apply and fishing is an option too. Liquor is not prohibited, but not encouraged either.
"That's one thing we have really looked at-hat alcohol has done on the reserve," said Provost.
"These are questions we would like to hear (now) so we are not faced with them all of the sudden on the ride," he added.
Sundance manager Dexter Head agreed. "We are just beginning. We would appreciate feedback on how to operate this package."
To date, 100 of Sundance's 500 copies of its 1996-97 brochures have been sent to Germany. Local tour companies are starting to ask for brochures in response to another industry information session that Provost and Head held earlier in March.
The Sundance team were also encouraged by the support they received from the Fort Macleod Chamber of Commerce after meeting them in February.
"We need cooperation because we are going to be chasing wild horses through town," joked Head.
Sundance Traditional Tours Three-Day Package
First Day
Afternoon registration
Supper
Horsemanship clinic
Native songs and dancing
Second Day
Trail ride
Barbeque
Wild West Show
Third Day
Bus tours to nearby Native attractions such as Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump
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