On Saturday, nearly 200 quad riders from across the region rolled through ATV trails from Ladysmith to Wolf Lake, as the Pontiac Quad Club hosted its second annual Big WoW Poker Run.

With the help of over 10 volunteers and various sponsors including the Quebec Quad Club Federation (FQCQ), the event consisted of participants driving to five specific locations to pick up sealed envelopes with playing cards in them, in the hopes of coming up with the best hand possible.

The first envelopes were given at the Ladysmith Hotel, while two more were handed out once riders got to Gavan’s Hotel in Quyon. The fourth round of envelopes was given out at Restaurant Malyvia in Wolf Lake and the last card was to be picked up back at the Ladysmith Hotel.

Upon the riders’ return to Ladysmith, volunteers unsealed participants’ envelopes to verify the value of each hand to see whether or not one is worthy of a prize.

With 173 riders participating in the Poker Run, the event had 71 more riders than the first edition, which gave the region’s ATV trails plenty of use and exposure, while also helping out the local economy, according to Jean-François Gauvreau, one of the event’s main organizers.

“We wanted to have the most people possible participating in the event,” said Gauvreau. “We wanted a lot of quadists. We also wanted to promote Quad Trails throughout the Pontiac. And it permitted us to solicit local commerce, like service stations in Ladysmith, the hotel, restaurants in Quyon, depanneur’s in Wolf Lake. The goal in the end was to promote our region.”

Serving as a fundraiser for Bouffe Pontiac, the event was also as a way to make people aware of what quad culture in the Pontiac is all about and to hopefully become more understanding of why it’s such an important part of the region.

“As a club, quad riders experience a lot of difficulty,” said Gauvreau. “We’re trying to promote quadists, in order to develop more trails and to show that we are still civilized people. That’s the kind of image we’re trying to project.”

The winner of the first prize of $500 was awarded to Emmanuel Gauvreau, second place went to Michel Larocque for $300, third place with a prize of $200 was taken by Helène Benoit, while all registered participants we’re also given a small prize.

“We really wanted to have prizes for our participants because we wanted to give back to them,” said Gauvreau. “It was a way of thanking registered Quad Club members who participated to the event. It’s really a winning club. Everybody participates, everyone wins.”

When it was all over, MRC Warden Jane Toller presented a $2,877 cheque to Bouffe Pontiac.

Gauvreau said he owes the event’s success to local establishments, his volunteers and all the riders who participated. He added that preparations for next year’s Poker Run have already begun.

“Without them, none of this would work,” said Gauvreau.”

Pictured from left, participants Peter Bourgeau and Brent Smith sit down for a meal and refreshments at the Ladysmith Hotel, following the event.

Pictured, Robert Céré sits on his ATV in the Ladysmith Hotel parking lot.

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