It may have started out as a horse stud fee auction 24 years ago, but the Water Valley Charity and Stud Auction has morphed into a fun and engaging initiative for the small community northwest of Cochrane.
Scheduled to run at the Water Valley Saloon March 22, the evening will kick off with a silent auction, with the live auction at 7 p.m.
Proceeds will go towards the Water Valley Community Association.
Nowadays, there is only one stud fee up for auction, but Jodi Ouellette, spokesperson for the group, said attendees will have the chance to bid on everything from golf course passes, UFA gift certificates and loads of gravel to Calgary Flames game tickets and steamy photography sessions.
“The auction is representative of the community here,” she said. “There’s quite a variety here in Water Valley — you can bid on a load of gravel, or you can bid on boudoir photos.”
A different kind of “stud” will be available for auction, she added. Six fellas from the community will be auctioned off for their handyman capabilities — to build a deck, for instance.
Participants will even have the opportunity to bid on Ouellette, as she and two other women will be offering up a dinner party for eight.
Local filmmaker Eppo Eerkes will even be auctioning off a day on the set.
Proceeds from the event will go to the Water Valley Community Association, said Ouellette, to be put towards community events and the upkeep of facilities.
Last year, the auction raised $12,000.
“My secret wish is to raise $15,000, but I’d be more than thrilled with another $12,000,” she said.
The live auction will be followed by an evening of dancing with a DJ at around 10 p.m.
To find more details on the event, check out ilovewatervalley.com or email Jodi Ouellette at [email protected].
