The World Professional Chuckwagon Association stops in Clearwater County this week.
Chuckwagon Driver Dale Young from Olds is going to be competing from tonight through Sunday at the Battle of the Rockies at North Saskatchewan River Park in Rocky Mountain House.
Young is enjoying his opportunity this summer to move up from the pony chucks of the Albera Professional Chuckwagon and Chariot Association to work with the thoroughbreds on the WPCA circuit. He says “well growing up in the sport of wagon racing, it is always your dream watching the big wagons to someday take a shot at and see if you can actually do it and show your skills.
He is thankful to have had plenty of support to help him with the challenge of taking a run at it. Young says “for sure if it wasn’t for their backing and support and help along the way here, honestly, this would have been very, very hard but having the comfort of them around and helping, and encouraging, and giving their bits of advice, yeah, it’s made the progress a lot better that’s for sure.”
Young (Howell’s Excavating Ltd.) will be in Heat 1 along with Troy Flad (Mountainview Safety Services Ltd.), Jordie Fike (XACT Pressure Services), and Roger More (Red Deer Lock & Safe Ltd.). He says “honestly, I feel very blessed that I’m able to even have a chance to do this and for all of those who have helped us along the way, from the cousins, to friends, to sponsors – of course – who make this sport happen I’m very grateful for the chance.”
WPCA races run in Rocky Mountain House at 7 o’clock in the evening from today through Saturday. They finish up on Sunday at 2pm. More details are available on the website BattleOfTheRockies.com. This is the last event before the 2024 WPCA World Chuckwagon Finals. They are coming up in Ponoka from August 28th to September 1st.
Young will be back withe APCCA for one of their season’s final tour stops. It is set for August 23rd through the 25th at the Sundre Rodeo Grounds. 96.5 CKFM will have live coverage of the chuckwagon races from the Broncs, Bulls & Wagons Weekend in Sundre on Friday, August 23rd.
After Sundre, there are only two APCCA events left this season. Catch the wagons and the carts in Patricia from August 30th to September 1st, and in Millarville from September 6th until the 8th.