Area off-roaders travel to enjoy the Canadian River Sand Drags

Thousands of individuals from all across the Texas Panhandle and beyond traveled to the edges of the Canadian River this past weekend near Amarillo for some mud-fun in the sun with the Canadian River Sand Drags.

The event has become a local tradition, stemming from when the event was hosted by the Texas Off-Roaders Association. Although it is no longer sanctioned, many off-road enthusiasts keep the tradition alive by participating in the outdoor fun every year.

For Sherri Klapper, who has been attending the event since she was 11 years old, the Sand Drags has become a birthday tradition each year and considers the space "her playground".

"This weekend always falls around my birthday, so this is kind of a tradition. My birthday's Monday, so this is kind of like part of my celebration. ... We come out here as a family. We do mud bogs around town, and we come out here to the river. Any kind of mud sport, it's just fun," Klapper said.

For Klapper, she is the second generation to attend and enjoy the Sand Drags in her family. She said both she and her father enjoy building the vehicles for the Sand Drag and events like it.

"This is just how we grew up; this is our playground. Most people go to the park to play; we came here," Klapper added.

Vehicles taking part include anything from ATVs, UTVs, dirt bikes and jeeps to dune buggies, rock buggies and pickup trucks with oversized tires.

Bobby Clark, who travels to the spot every weekend and has attended the event for more than 20 years, said he enjoys the Sand Drags for the comradery, bragging rights, and fun pushing his vehicle to the limit.

"I love seeing how far we can push these vehicles. That's my favorite part, and we sometimes tinker with each other for bragging rights," Clark said. "It's just about coming out here with friends and enjoying these big trucks. This is just what we do. It's more fun than going to a bar to me and costs the same amount of money."

Throughout the weekend beginning Friday afternoon through Sunday afternoon, many come and go or stay overnight to enjoy the terrain climbing fun. For many, the main event begins Saturday evening, when attendees line up for the chance to climb "Big Red," a well-known hill named for its steep climb and high chance for vehicle flipping.

"Folks will try to take anything and everything up that hill," said one attendee.

Although the event does not have an official organizer, the off-road community does organize a competition including trophies for conquering "Big Red." As stated in a Facebook post by the Potter County Sheriff's Office, county officials along with game wardens from the Texas Department of Parks & Wildlife were in attendance to ensure safety and enforce the ongoing burn ban.

Clark said that although there may be some friendly competitions, more than anything, those who attend all become part of a community and look out for one another. From longtime attendees to first-timers, a friend or a stranger, everyone works to make sure the event is safe and fun.

"I tipped this truck one time on its side, and other people with trucks, wenches, they just helped pull it back over on its tires. ... It's a big community out here. The off-road community is great, and we all look out for one another," he said.

Clark's advice to anyone who had never been to the event and wanted to experience it is "Try it. Come out; you just might get hooked."