SASKATOON -- Despite a cancelled racing season at Marquis Downs in Saskatoon this year, a new racing organization held its first weekend of this weekend.

On Saturday and Sunday, Elite Indian Relay Association held thoroughbred bareback racing at Marquis Downs, bringing jockeys and teams from across Alberta and Saskatchewan, according to Elite Indian Relay Association’s Vern Antoine.

“This is a very extreme sport,” Antoine said. “We have five heats of Indian Relay, each team consists of about five and they also bring their families so there’s about 120 participants.”

Antoine added over the two-day event, 21 teams with five jockeys each will compete for $50,000, and all participants are Indigenous.

These are the first races to occupy Marquis Downs after Prairieland Park cancelled the 2021 racing season. Prairieland Park also announced an end to thoroughbred horse-racing at Marquis Downs in favour of building a new soccer stadium. 

Earlier this year Prairieland Park CEO Mark Regier announced a partnership with Saskatchewan-based Living Sky Sports and Entertainment to bring a professional soccer team to Saskatoon.

The team would compete in the Canadian Premier League by 2023.

Among the participants at the opening ceremonies were Saulteaux First Nation Chief Kenny Moccasin, English River First Nation Chief Jerry Benard and Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations Vice-Chief David Pratt.

Races continue Sunday afternoon at Marquis Downs. Elite Indian Relay is live-streaming the competition online.

- With files from CTV's Tyler Barrow