Harlan Kirgan
The first chicken offered to the Eunice Courir de Mardi Gras was tossed into the air by Dale Soileau and from there the run was on.
That chicken took off tailed by a scattered gang of colorful human runners around and around the north side of the Northwest Community Center at about 9 a.m. Tuesday.
After evading the human runners, the chicken ran into the Northwest Community Center where it was captured by Logan Manuel of Eunice.
The Eunice Mardi Gras will celebrate its 100th year next year, but Captaine Pat Frey said is probably older than that.
Frey might be fussy about runners wearing masks and traditional costumes, but there seems nothing overly particular about sending dozens of runners ready to run, jump and land in the mud on a chilly morning in the pursuit of a chicken.
As runner registered at the Northwest Community Center for $30, Katie Richard, of Eunice, was outside standing guard over a supply of food, whisky and beer.
“There is nothing like this,” she declared.
Richard’s observation was common.
Yvette Veuleman, of Eunice, said the Mardi Gras is “... like nothing you’ve ever seen. It is an experience within itself.”
She added, “This is tradition. This is a real Mardi Gras. Until you’ve seen it you can’t really describe it.”
Hunter Myers, of Eunice, declared, “This is my heritage. This is my tradition and it is also the time to cut up before the Lenten season.”
Myers’ uncle happens to be Frey, the captaine of the run.
Frey said the number of runners seemed a little down from previous years, but he wasn’t blaming the chilly weather.
“I’ve seen a lot more people in a lot worse weather,” he said before the run began.
Frey returned to a theme of his about masking, which is tradition with Mardi Gras runners. Masks are intended to hide their identities they create a wake of mayhem prior to Lent, a time of reflection.
“People don’t want to abide by the rules,” he said while atop his horse, Dan. “Go to Winn Dixie and get a piece of cardboard and make yourself a capuchon.”
Aaron Smith, known as the mayor of Pa-Ta-Sa, released the second chicken of the morning near the old Dresser plant on the northwest corner of Eunice.
“My family keeps coming back to Mardi Gras,’” he said.
Smith said he remembers Mardi Gras runs in the early 1990s that included 1,200 horses and 100 wagons.
More than 100 horseback riders and 700 runners on trailers were expected for Tuesday’s run.