CAA Saskatchewan Summer 2018 | Page 46

Road TRip The town that boasts a unique history, a world championship—and one very big bone By adele Paul To look aT me , you wouldn’t know I’m a world champion. I’m relatively ordinary—but I do hail from an extraordinary town. Nestled in west-central Saskatchewan near the Alberta border, Macklin is home to around 1,400 residents. At first glance, it looks like a typical prairie town: a Main Street with a grocery store, old hotel and brick post office; a well-loved schoolyard next to a charming church. But the real magic of this town can’t be found in any 46 summer 2018 CAA saskaTChewan building. It’s a treasure you find in its culture, people and history—and it all starts with a big bone. Unsuspecting passers-by travel- ling on Highway 14 liken their approach into Macklin as one of those “it’s a bird… it’s a plane” moments. From a distance, you spot a towering white figure, slowly emerging along the horizon. At first glance, it has the unfortunate appearance of a human torso. But it’s actually a bunnock (meaning “bone” in German). Proudly standing just north of town is the “World’s Largest Bunnock,” a 10-metre-high structure, made of steel, chicken wire and fiberglass and meant to resemble a horse’s ankle bone. It was erected in 1994 by Saskatchewan taxi- dermist Ralph Berg, and now serves as a tourist booth. But what’s the signifi- cance of equine bones to Macklin? As every local will tell you, there’s a very logical reason. For the past 25 years, Macklin has hosted the World Bunnock Championship—an international tournament with some 320 teams competing for more than $40,000 in prizes and the prestigious title of World Bunnock Champion. bones: Macklin Has a Bone to Pick