Labour Day Classic photo fun Roughriders, Bombers style

Darian Durant (#4) fires a pass downfield in the 2016 Labour Day Classic.

    The Labour Day Classic in Saskatchewan equals the ultimate annual great lost weekend.

    Traditionally, the Labour Day long weekend clash between the visiting Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the host Saskatchewan Roughriders provides the perfect celebration weekend for Rider Nation and a great CFL rivalry. The celebration for Rider Nation part is helped by the fact the Roughriders have won 14 out of the last 15 Labour Day Classics.

    The lone Bombers victory came in 2016 thanks to a 43-yard walk-off field goal by kicker Justin Medlock. That allowed Winnipeg to take the final Labour Day Classic ever played at Taylor Field 28-25.

    Of course, the Roughriders have a massive advantage as this game is usually a sellout, and the crowd in most years sounds louder than any other home game in that respective season.

    While most of the stadium is full of Roughriders fans, a sizable following usually follows the Bombers from Winnipeg to Regina for this game.

    For a number of years, there was a time fans from out of town started arriving in Regina on Friday night to party. The party ran Friday and all day Saturday leading to game day on Sunday.

    Following the game, the parties usually continued all through the night and people began returning home on Monday.

    I’ve been to 19 Labour Day Classic games with the first coming in 1996. The Roughriders have posted a 17-2 record in those contests.
    Star quarterback Cody Fajardo lead the Roughriders to victory in last year’s game.

Cody Fajardo (#7) slings a pass in the 2019 Labour Day Classic

    I made the last 12 straight Labour Day Classics in a row dating back to 2008. Unfortunately, this year’s CFL season was cancelled due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, which means there is no Labour Day Classic in 2020.

    Starting around 2004, I began taking photos of the happenings on the Labour Day Classic weekend. From 2004 to 2011, those photos were usually taken on a disposable film camera.

    I got my first digital point and shoot camera in 2012. Yes, I was late to the game getting to the digital camera world with my own equipment.

    Unfortunately, I don’t have any photos from the parties that took place post-game at Bart’s on Broad from the late 1990s through to 2006. As a result, there are no pictures of the Blue Bomber Cheer and Dance Team, which was then known as the Blue Lightning Dance Team, doing a performance to “Don’t Cha” by the Pussycat Dolls.

    Of course, that song has the chorus lyric, “Don’t cha wish your girlfriend was hot like me.”
    Trust me, that was an epic night at Bart’s.

    Anyways, I hope you enjoy checking out these photos. I could have posted a tonne more, but I though this supplied a good sampling.

A dream scoreboard for Roughriders fans

    This is the final scoreboard from the 2012 Labour Day Classic.

    The Saskatchewan Roughriders down the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 52-0. For many Roughriders fans, their favourite Labour Day Classic game is the 2012 contest.

Drum guy rallies the fans

    Of course, the fans are a key part in making the Labour Day Classic great. In this photo, a drum guy named “Spanky” rallies the Taylor Field crowd in 2013.

Bombers walk-off win in 2016

    Right here might be the most memorable moment for Bombers fans at the Labour Day Classic.

    In 2016 at the final Labour Day Classic game at Taylor Field, kicker Justin Medlock nails a 43-yard walk-off field goal to give the Bombers a 28-25 victory over the Roughriders.

“This Is Our House”

    During the 2010 season, the Bon Jovi song “This Is Our House” blared throughout Taylor Field pregame to pump up Rider Nation for contest that was to come.

    Here fans are waving rally towels the team gave out before that year’s Labour Day Classic game as “This Is Our House” played throughout the stadium.

Lauther’s walk-off 2019 Roughriders win

    In 2019 at Mosaic Stadium, Brett Lauther’s 26-yard walk-off field goal sails true to give the Roughriders a 19-17 victory over the Bombers.

    After this kicked went through the uprights, Lauther and punter Jon Ryan made a mad dash to Pil Country in the south end zone, where Lauther ultimately drank a beer. The celebration capped that year’s Labour Day Classic.

Fans prefer rock over banjos

    This group of Roughriders fans in 2004 had a response to Bombers kicker Troy Westwood’s infamous comments towards those in Rider Nation.

    They brought this sign out before the Labour Day Classic that year and it said, “Rider fans play more than banjos! Rock on Riders!!!”

Sheets meets the public

    It seemed like Roughriders star running back Kory Sheets never missed an opportunity to meet Rider Nation.

    Here Sheets signs autographs for the gathering of fans that wait outside the Roughriders dressing room after the 2013 Labour Day Classic. Sheets would be the MVP of the Roughriders Grey Cup championship win later that year.

Gainer loves meeting the public too

    At the 2008 fan festival that occurs the day before the Labour Day Classic, Roughriders mascot Gainer the Gopher satisfies an autograph request from a young fan.

Durant TD celebration

    Roughriders star quarterback Darian Durant poses for this sweet celebration photo after scoring a touchdown in the 2016 Labour Day Classic.

Rally at “Wayne’s World”

    Bombers fans rally at “Wayne’s World” before the 2008 Labour Day Classic. These pre-game rallies at “Wayne’s World” are an annual tradition for Bombers fans.

Fans takes over south end zone

    Fans take over the south end zone at Taylor Field during the 2004 Labour Day Classic. Before stands were installed in that spot, fans jammed on to a hill that used to be located in that part of the Roughriders old historic park.

Harris on the run

    Bombers star running back Andrew Harris tears downfield on a run during the 2016 Labour Day Classic.

Rider Cheer Team entertains

    The Rider Cheer Team entertains fans with a little stunting at the 2011 fan festival that occurred the day before that year’s Labour Day Classic.

Carter aims to muscle out of a tackle

    Roughriders star receiver Duron Carter tries to muscle his way out of the grasp of a Bombers tackler in the 2017 Labour Day Classic.

Reaves family reunion

    The family and friends of Roughriders defensive lineman and special teams ace Jordan Reaves, fourth from right, pose for a group photo following the 2018 Labour Day Classic.

    In the front on one knee is Jordan’s proud father Willard, who was a star running back for the Bombers in the 1980s. Willard Reaves was voted the CFL’s most outstanding player in the Bombers Grey Cup championship year in 1984.

We can all be friends

    The final picture is of yours truly with a couple of members of the Bombers Cheer and Dance Team before the 2016 Labour Day Classic.

    I just bought the Blue Bomber Cheer and Dance Team calendar off them. Remember folks, it is always better to make love and not war.

    If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

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Labour Day Classic in Regina a hit on social front

Bombers fans relish first victory since 2004

The Bombers are greeted by a mass of their faithful on the way to their bus.

    REGINA - Wow, it seems it takes longer to recover from the festivities of the Labour Day Classic weekend the older you get, but I know for myself I wouldn’t have it any other way.

    It is now two days after the Winnipeg Blue Bombers slipped past the Saskatchewan Roughriders 28-25 on a last play field goal by Justin Medlock in the annual clash of the two prairie rivals before a sellout crowd of 33,427 at old Mosaic Stadium in Regina. On this back to work Tuesday following the long weekend, a lot of people will still be talking about this clash during breaks and around the water cooler in Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

    Regardless of who wins, this game and weekend is always a victory for the fans. This is the best weekend on the CFL calendar to be a fan. I have worked the Labour Day Classic on a couple of occasions, which was great, but I definitely prefer being a straight fan on this weekend.

Bombers and Roughriders fans have some fun at “Wayne's World.”

    One of the best things of this annual affair is the chance for fans of both the Roughriders and Bombers to get out and socialize. When you are out at the lounges or nightclubs or even the beautiful park area around Wascana Lake in Regina, the majority of both sets of fans realize they aren’t that different when it comes to supporting their teams. They respect each other for the passion they have for their clubs.

    I know on Saturday night a few shots went down respecting that fact along with getting in on toast to the memory of the late legendary Bombers head coach and general manager and also former Roughriders coach Cal Murphy.

    In the immediate aftermath of the game, there were a small minority of Saskatchewan fans that viewed their displeasure about how the contest ended due to the fact the winning field goal was set up by a questionable pass interference call on Roughriders defensive back Justin Cox.

Weston Dressler always has time for the fans.

    Being a fan on the Roughriders side, I was disappointed as well, and I thought that call was blown. With that said, I am have seen my share of Roughriders losses, so I am mature enough to the point they don’t really affect me.

    I appreciate any chance I have to get out to a CFL game, especially the Labour Day Classic. For me, this was the 16^th time I was at the annual affair between the Roughriders and Bombers, and Saskatchewan holds a 14-2 edge in those battles.

    This may sound strange, but I kind of enjoyed watching the Bombers fans celebrate their team’s win. A large group of regulars annually make the trip out from Winnipeg, and they are a great bunch.

When the Bombers won, they weren’t really rubbing the fact into the faces of the Roughriders supporters. The Bombers fans were in a state of joyful disbelief.

    One Winnipeg fan came up to me and said this was his 12^th Labour Day Classic, and he had attended all of the previous 11 games that the Bombers had lost in a row. He was just so overjoyed his team won.

    The Winnipeg celebrations drifted out to “Wayne’s World,” which is the back yard of a house that is across and alley neighbouring the West Side of Mosaic Stadium.
    The Bombers supporters then drifted over to the team bus, where the players went through high-fiving and posing for selfie pictures with the huge gathering of their faithful as echoes of “Here we go Bombers, here we go!” filled the air.

I made some new friends at the Labour Day Classic.

    The scene reminded me of following the Roughriders out on the road to Calgary, and the same scene basically repeated itself outside of McMahon Stadium after a Saskatchewan victory.

    This past Sunday, the Bombers fans were enjoyed their day in the sun along with five straight wins as they should be. 

    I am old enough to know that days in the sun like this always seen to pass by way too quick, so you should absolutely soak them in while you can.

    If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.