There’s nothing like speed and strategy to overcome a so-called bad starting spot in a race.
Chanse Vigen made quick turns off the outside four barrel position, grabbed the rail and led from wire to wire to win the Battle of the Foothills Dash for Cash final at the chuckwagon races at the High River Ag Grounds on July 25.
“It’s mainly up to the horses, I am just along for the ride,” said Vigen, who now calls nearby Mossleigh home. “It’s a really good outfit and they seem to excel on the shorter barrels.
“I had the four barrel on Day 4 and 5 so I had been turning them a lot, I had a good rhythm going. For the third night in a row they were really sharp. I am really proud of the horses.”
But a good start means nothing if you can’t hold on to the lead.
“I just turned them loose and I was just along for the ride,” Vigen said. “I noticed Evan (Salmond) had missed his bottom barrel so I wasn’t really worried about him.
“We had the front end, so they have to come and get ya, that’s how you win wagon races.”
Vigen ended up with some loose change in his pocket. The championship cheque was for $30,500.
He won the championship heat with the fastest time of the day at 1:15.59. Layne MacGillivray was second at 1:16.62, and in third place was Vern Nolin at 1:17.96. Salmond had a penalty filled run and was fourth at 1:31.13, despite crossing the finish line behind Vigen.
Vigen, the son of former wagon driver Mike and the grandson of legendary driver Ralph Vigen, won his first High River title from the wagon box. He had been an outrider for Rick Fraser when he won his previous titles in High River.
Vigen’s outriders at the Battle of the Foothills were Rory Armstrong and Ryan McNeill.
Foothills County’s Dayton Sutherland was able to sneak into the top eight among the drivers to earn a spot in the two semifinal heats for Semifinal Saturday on July 24.
However, he wasn’t able to crack the top four among drivers’ times to move on to the Dash for Cash. He finished third behind Nolin and MacGillvray in his semi heat. Kurt Bensmiller was fourth after tipping a barrel.
“I don’t have the horsepower to outrun those guys,” said Sutherland, who lives east of Okotoks. “These are just learning curves that I will pick up along the way and I won’t forget for next year.”
Sutherland came into the second weekend of the Battle in 11th place on July 23. His goal coming into the show was to finish in the top eight in the aggregate after four days of racing to make the semifinals.
“I thought that was realistic,” Sutherland said. “I had the one barrel on Friday, but when the horn blew my horses just sat there, and I got out-turned badly.
“I went around the whole track feeling kind of defeated, thinking I wouldn’t be nearly fast enough to crack the top eight.”
However, Sutherland was able to finish sixth overall to make the semis.
Blackie’s Jordie Fike just missed making the semifinals. He was ninth after four days.
“I’m tired,” Fike said after the final night of racing. “Driving two wagons and helping organize (the races) I am fatigued a bit.”
He said he missed making the semis due to driver error on Friday night.
“I just didn’t start – I needed to get that split-second earlier and I didn’t do it,” Fike said. “Totally my fault. I was happy with my horses.”
The High River show ran over two weekends, July 16,17 and 19 and July 22-25. They were the first chuckwagon races of the year in southern Alberta, as the Calgary Stampede races were cancelled.
Several of the shows were sold out, including the semifinals and the finals.
Tanya Froh, president of the High River Ag Society, said it would like to have a similar format next year.
“The drivers are excited about this format,” Froh said. “They said it’s relaxing, they enjoy themselves here.”
Vigen tipped his hat to the Battle of the Foothills organizers and the High River and Foothills area communities.
“This was a big deal for our community too and the WPCA (World Professional Chuckwagon Association),” Vigen said. “We got back in the saddle and the support was tremendous.
“This was the best High River show I have ever been at. I am looking forward to being back next year.”
The WPCA drivers are in Strathmore for the Strathmore Stampede July 30 – Aug. 2.
To see the full results of the Battle of the Foothills go to wpca.com.
