About

Barry started snowmobiling in the early 70’s, over 35 years of sledding and regularly logs approximately 10,000 kilometers each year.  He owned and operated a snowmobile dealership from 1974 to 1989; Sportsland Sales and Service in Yorkton.  He was involved in the local snowmobile club, the Yorkton Trail Blazers in the 1970’s and in 1990 helped to organize and was the first president of the present day Yorkton Sno-Riders Snowmobile Club.  Barry is currently the director of the club’s trail grooming and helps to sign the trails every year.  In 1977 he became involved with the first Timmy’s Snowarama for Easter Seals, being responsible for developing and signing the first trail – Yorkton to Roblin, Manitoba and back; approximately 200 kilometers. 

Barry has been the chairman of Snowarama since 1986 and still enjoys being involved.  He was nominated for the South Saskatchewan “Snowmobiler of the Year” in 1988.  He was a director in the Porcupine Forest Snowmobile Association and developed the first trail map for the area.  In June 1990, Barry received a special achievement award from the National Snowmobile Foundation for his work with Snowarama.  In 1992, Barry was nominated to the Board of Directors of the Saskatchewan Snowmobile Association and worked on developing the Saskatchewan Snowmobile Trail System in the early 90’s. 

In 1995, along with Don Walters of Yorkton, he helped to organize the first Saskatchewan Snowmobile Trade Show in Yorkton.  To date it is alternated between Regina and Saskatoon.  Barry organized the Saskatchewan portion of the Trans Canada Rendezvous ’98 and rode the Easter Seal sled in the Rendezvous ride across the province.  He was also elected President of the Saskatchewan Snowmobile Association in the same year. 

In 1999 he worked with the SSA office and the Saskatchewan Government in getting mandatory trail passes.  In 2005, Barry was awarded “Volunteer of the Year” at the Saskatchewan Snowmobile Association’s Annual Diamonds in the Snow Awards.  Also, in 2005, Barry, along with the SSA lobbied the Saskatchewan Government to include trail passes in the snowmobile registration.  Legislation was put in place for 2005 – 2006.

In 2008 Barry was inducted into “The International Snowmobile Hall of Fame”.