In January, Moose Jaw resident Jared Dormer played his Cajon drum for nearly 26 hours looking to set a new Guinness World Record and after months of waiting for the official word, the record is now his.
Dormer began drumming at 8 p.m. on Jan. 15. He drummed for 25 hours, 42 minutes and 34 seconds straight.
“I just found out two weeks ago. I got an email from Guinness saying that it was all official. They said it takes between eight and 12 weeks for them to get back,” Dormer said. “It’s kind of right in the middle, but yeah, pretty exciting to finally get that confirmation.”
Dormer said the idea came to him at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic when he found himself with some unexpected downtime.
Guinness had already prepared the record in its books, but no one had ever attempted it, so he spent about six months preparing for the record attempt.
“My body healed in a few days after it. And you know, now that I have this plaque, it just reminds me of that time and it’s all just good memories,” Dormer said.
“All the bad stuff and the mental blocks are just kind of a thing of the past … it feels pretty good.”
Despite the challenges, Dormer said it was a chance of a lifetime and something he will never forget. He said the support he received from friends, family and the community was overwhelming.
“I really wanted to do a big charity type thing, but with COVID, I kept it small and did a livestream,” Dormer said.
“People kept saying how much it gave them something else to think about, made things feel a little bit normal and that it brought some music back into their lives.
“Honestly, it was a huge thing for me. I didn’t expect that at all. That made every second worth it, honestly.”
More confirmation was posted on the Guinness World Record website.
“Jared is the first holder of this title and attempted the record to raise money for his local church’s renovation fund,” it said on the website.
Dormer has played drums from an early age and picked up the Cajon drum about six years ago. He currently plays in a Celtic band.