For 2015, there will be no Mud King, no Mud Queen, no racing champion, no big muddy, soggy mess in East Pembroke.
The volunteer fire department has decided to forego the event for at least one year, Chief Don Newton said, because the small department always struggles to have enough volunteers working on race day.
"It's very hard work, difficult work, with not very many people for not a lot of money," Newton said.
This October, the department will hold a gun raffle in its recently refurbished pavilion behind the fire hall.
There are 32 active volunteers in the department and not all of them can help on race day. The event needs race officials, mud groomers, ticket takers, concession stand workers along with several other behind-the-scenes roles to fill, Newton said.
"We put this on for the community and community members want to come and enjoy the event," Newton said. "It's hard to ask them to work when they just want to enjoy the show."
The department isn't ruling out bringing the mud races back for 2016. Newton said there's hope of getting the event reorganized and going again, especially with so many people expressing disappointment that it's been canceled this year.
Photo: File photo. A photo from the 2011 mud races.
