Kevin Wilson
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Apr 03/02) - The final numbers are still being tallied, but it's no secret Caribou Carnival lost money this year.

However, the Canadian Championship Dog Derby is doing fine, thanks.

Still, both events will be seeking an infusion of new blood for next year. Both carnival board President Bernie Bauhaus and Dog Derby association president Dave Anderson say they will likely step down.

Organizers say Carnival lost between $5,000 and $10,000 this year. Numbers aren't being bandied about for the Dog Derby, but president Dave Anderson said the event "did okay this year."

"I think a lot of it is directly weather-related," said Carnival board president Bernie Bauhaus.

Frigid temperatures and high winds, especially on Sunday seemed to have an adverse impact on attendance.

Overall, Bauhaus said he was pleased with the turnout.

"We had a great turnout for the fireworks, and on Saturday we had a really good crowd," he said.

Bauhaus said he's "guessing" this year's Carnival is somewhere between $5,000 to $10,000 in the hole.

"We had a surplus last year that we'll carry forward to this year," said Bauhaus.

That means any shortfall incurred this year is covered.

Bauhaus said other factors probably contributed to the less-than-stellar results.

Sales down

The carnival took place during the long Easter weekend, and sales of buttons and Quest For the Crown tickets lagged far behind last year's totals.

"I was joking that the Caribou Cops shouldn't have been so passive," said Bauhaus.

The Cops, a regular carnival fixture, were under orders to lay off hard-sell tactics organizers feared turned people off.

Furthermore, Bauhaus called last year's Quest For the Crown "an anomaly", given that two contestants each sold close to 9,000 tickets.

New events, combined with a one-time cash outlay for two new geodesic dome tents and a new office computer also put a dent in the budget.

"Some of the things, like adding Dene hand games, the Cariblues Festival, and the road hockey tournament, those new events cost us prize money," said Bauhaus.

Over at the Dog Derby, Anderson said a "real conservative" approach to the finances ensured the event stayed in the black.

"Last year, we put more money in the purse, and we got fewer entries," said Anderson.

Total purse money in this year's Derby amounted to $35,000.

Since invoices are still arriving to be paid, Anderson declined to say how much of a surplus the association has.

"We did not overspend," he said.

Both Bauhaus and Anderson say it's time for a change at the top.

Bauhaus said that juggling work and carnival responsibilities meant neither got the attention they deserved.

Anderson said it was, "time for some new blood," at the Dog Derby's top job.