Deborah Gordon with Excite Lethbridge (left) presents a cheque for $18,000 to Josh Burgmann of the Lethbridge Longhorns (right). (Photo: Lethbridge News Now)

By David Opinko

$18,000 donated to Lethbridge Longhorns through Whoop-Up Days Jumbo Bites

Oct 11, 2025 | 6:00 AM

A local baseball program is set to receive a big funding boost.

Excite Lethbridge has announced that it will be donating $18,000 to the Lethbridge Longhorns.

Members of the Longhorns volunteered to sell Jumbo Bites at Whoop-Up Days, and every year, proceeds from the sale of the fried Bannock products go to a local non-profit.

Paul Kingsmith, Director of Event Development with Excite Lethbridge, says the Longhorns have been a great community partner, and that every member of the club worked hard for this accomplishment.

Excite Lethbridge offered Jumbo Bites for the first time at this year’s festival as opposed to the traditional Jumbo Ears.

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“We had confidence in the product and we knew what it was going to be able to do, but you don’t know until the public shows up. The fact that the public showed up, boosted those sales, got behind it and seemed to really enjoy it – it’s so good to see,” says Kingsmith. “The spinoff of that is the baseball club is the beneficiary of that, and we’re so thrilled that that’s where it ended up.”

Josh Burgmann, Program Director for the Lethbridge Longhorns, says the news of the $18,000 donation is “excellent.”

“What we’re able to do with the Exhibition here and be able to provide something for our group, right, is huge,” says Burgmann. “The extra funding for our guys to be able to do certain things, you know, the indoor training schedule they go on and the games that they play allows them to experience different things. We’re super grateful for the relationship and partnership we have here with the Exhibition.”

The money will also help to fund a trip to Arizona.

Burgmann explains that it is a great opportunity for their young players to get in front of collegiate coaches and scouts in the U.S., helping them to potentially secure spots on college baseball teams.

The Lethbridge Longhorns comprises high school students in Grades 10-12.

As part of the Lethbridge High School Baseball Academy, players not only improve their athletic abilities, but also leadership and life skills.