The world’s best chuckwagon drivers are stampeding to High River this week after a team effort organized the Battle of the Foothills shortly after the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth pulled the reins on the Rangeland Derby.
“I approached the (High River Ag Society) board and asked if there was some interest,” said chuckwagon driver Jordie Fike, from nearby Blackie. “Once Calgary cancelled, I knew there would be a hunger for us to be somewhere.
“I know the fans want to come and watch. High River is close to home and we were going to be racing there after the Stampede anyway, so I figured this would be the place to go and optimize travel for some of the guys.”
Fike said he worked closely with the ag society and the World Professional Chuckwagon Association in getting the Battle of the Foothills off the ground.
The Battle of the Foothills is July 16-18 and July 23-25 at the High River Ag Society grounds. The top eight drivers after four nights of racing will compete in the semifinals on July 24, with a four-wagon Dash for Cash final on July 25.
Drivers got their first taste of racing in nearly two years in Dewberry earlier this month. However, the High River races will be the first ones to count towards World Professional Chuckwagon Association points.
“It’s important,” Fike said of the High River races. “We have had the horses sitting for a couple of years and now we have them looking forward to something.”
Fike’s teams ran well in Dewberry. He ran two outfits in Dewberry and finished fifth and eighth respectively, in the aggregate over three nights of racing.
“I will be running two here as well,” said Fike, while working with the horses in High River on July 12. “Some of the guys just couldn’t make it work this year. So some of us are doing a little bit of extra work, just to help the show go.
“I love driving wagons, the more I can do it in a night, the better.”
Another guy driving a couple of outfits in High River is three-time defending world champion Kurt Bensmiller.
“This is very important. In our fans’ eyes or our horses’ eyes, we can’t take another year off,” Bensmiller said. "They (the horses) can’t sit for two years and then come back for a third year – the horses need to train.
“I am happy to be racing for sure and glad that some committees are stepping up and maintaining some western heritage.
“I don’t think I will ever be happy with Calgary’s decision. I thought it was ill thought out. But were going to move on and put on a heck of a show here in High River.”
Carl McGovern, a director with the ag society, said it received co-operation with the Foothills Cowboy Association which had the grounds scheduled for an event on July 17-18.
“The WPCA worked with the Foothills Cowboy Association to make sure there was time for the chuckwagons to run,” McGovern said.
The FCA rodeo will start at 1 p.m both days. The wagons and the rodeo are two separate events, so separate tickets must be purchased for each.
For rodeo information go to fcarodeo.ca
McGovern said tickets are selling well for the Battle of the Foothills and there are still plenty available.
There will be a beer garden at the site with some live entertainment.
The races start at 7 p.m. for all performances except for Sunday July 25 which starts at 4 p.m.
For ticket information to the chuckwagon races go to highriverag.com
