Just as corporate Calgary is forced to downsize due to Alberta’s dwindling economy, competitors at the Calgary Stampede are also facing tough choices.
Some chuckwagon drivers say they’re suffering and trying to buck up enough cash to remain competitive.
“Week to week it’s a struggle and we’re trying to keep this sport alive,” Tom Barrow of the World Professional Chuckwagon Association said.
Sponsorships on the tarps keep the wagons rolling, but as the economy takes a nose dive, so does investment.
“Some of our guys are frustrated to the point where they’re going to pack up and retire,” Barrow said. “When the guys are digging into their savings and relying on other forms of income to finance chuckwagons, there is a breaking point – not only young competitors trying to get in but even senior guys are struggling to make ends meet.”
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As a veteran driver, Chad Harden suggests fuel, feed and horse prices are all on the rise – but paycheques aren’t.
“I’ll be out of pocket quite a bit this year,” Harden said. “I took it out of the farm to support the chucks. It’s a tough go. At the end of the day, the Stampede is the big daddy. It’s the Stanley Cup playoffs and… I’d be surprised if many guys say they make money wagon racing.”
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For many drivers, it’s their passion that keeps them driving.
“We dug a bit into the retirement fund just to survive this year,” driver Dustin Gorst admits. “I don’t know if I ever will get the money back that I put back into the sport. I created a job for myself – it’s a cool job – the only stressful part is you see your horse and just can’t afford that type of horse.”
For many, chuckwagons not only part of Alberta’s identity, but part of their own and they’ll do everything they can to keep the chucks rolling.
“We’re from Saskatchewan. We were born cheap and know how to budget,” Gorst said. “You gotta ride through the bad times and we’ll make it through.”
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