Waskesiu Riding Stables

The Waskesiu Riding Stables figure large in the memories of many people who enjoyed horseback riding during their holidays in Waskesiu. Started by Paul Manegre in1952, this business operated for 45 years by three generations of the family. Originally on the site of the current Fire Hall, the stables relocated to the location where Lost Creek Resort is now and also spent a couple of years at McPhee in the 1980s. The former barn floor now serves as a large patio at Lost Creek Resort. For many years, a pony wagon toured the townsite, picking up youngsters along the way and dropping them back at the same spot. Paulette (Manegre) Buekert drove the wagon as a young person and later owned and managed the stables.

“On June 30, 1952, Paul Manegre took his family, his wife Jeanne, his daughters, Paulette, Lillian and Laurette to Waskesiu Lake. I, Paulette, was then nine and my sisters were seven and six years old. With five ponies and two riding horses, we started a business that would last forty-five years and see three generations of the same family working it. We met many interesting people and made many lasting relationships. 

"We set up a pony ring across the road from the stable we rented from McLachlan’s. The Fire Hall now stands where the stable once was. Children got five rounds in the pony ring for twenty-five cents or they could rent a pony for fifty cents for a half hour, and they could ride the big horses anywhere in town. Many of the riders would come back to the stable saying the horses had not turned down their street when they had been told to do so. This went on for the next two years and, by 1955, the horses were restricted to trail riding only.” 

Stories by Paulette Bueckert in Waskesiu Memories, Volume II, edited by Dorell Taylor

 Note:  The riding stables are closed and there are no trail rides available in Waskesiu.  Please search information for Sturgeon River Ranch located on the West Side  for trail rides in that area of Prince Albert National Park. 

“In 1953, a new feature was added to the business. “The Pony Wagon” was a big part of many children’s holidays. I was the first driver, followed by my sisters, my cousins, and then my children. One evening I was taking five or six children for a wagon ride, and one of the harness straps got stuck on the wagon poll. I told all the kids to get out and stand on the side of the street close to where the big rock now stands. I then got out myself and went to the front to straighten out the harness. Just as I was about to get everybody back into the wagon, the mosquito sprayer approached from behind. I signaled for him to wait until I was able to get out of his way. He misread my signal and proceeded past me. When the spray hit the two ponies, they didn’t wait around, they ran me down, wagon and all! I was just thankful that I had not put the children back in to the wagon. “ 

Stories by Paulette Bueckert in Waskesiu Memories, Volume II, edited by Dorell Taylor

In the summer of 2020 the families of six Prest siblings missed visiting Waskesiu for the first time in over 65 years!  The Prest family, three sons and three daughters, grew up in Prince Albert, with all but one eventually moving to Alberta. One son, Buster, stayed in PA and worked at CKBI. Sadly all the siblings have now passed away. However, every summer, members of their families continue to reunite for a great visit at Waskesiu. The pandemic interfered with that gathering in 2020. Reservations are already tentatively made for 2021 so hopefully they are able to gather again.  

The cousins share favourite memories of trail riding at the Waskesiu Riding Stables. The adults would drop them at the stables and then enjoy time to themselves. The kids would enjoy the horseback ride and the freedom of finding their own way back afterwards. 

Carol recalls, “It was a real highlight for the city kids to have access to the trail rides for two weeks every summer. You can tell what an impression it made, as all my cousins still remember ‘their’ horses, 50+ years later.” The horse and pony names they remember are King, Fly, Honey, Lady, Laddie, Gypsy, Red, Golden Girl, Scout, Trigger, Nugget, and Comet.