The chuckwagons have rolled into Saskatoon.
Professional chuckwagon driver Luke Tournier, a native of Duck Lake, Sask., has been racing for over three decades.
Three years ago, he was the world champion, and last weekend he won the circuit’s first stop in Grande Prairie, Alta. This weekend, he’s hoping to make it two-for-two with a win during the World Professional Chuckwagon Association (WPCA) races at Marquis Downs.
“We bought a few new horses and mixed them in with the old ones, and it seemed like it has perked up the old horses. Got some enthusiasm again. They are really running hard and working,” Tournier said on June 7.
“It’s still early but it was nice to get a win under our belt.”
Tournier describes life on the chuckwagon circuit as extended family time so, not surprisingly, his kids have followed in his footsteps.
“They get addicted to the sport too,” Tournier said with a laugh.
“Because both my boys are in it and my daughter’s married to Logan Gorst, who’s a chuckwagon driver, and they got little granddaughters … so I got my little granddaughters around here so I get to see them all the time.”
His son Quaid is currently an outrider but is planning to hop into the driver’s seat in a few years and stay there for a while.
“Probably until I’m 65 and they force me to retire,” Quaid said.
“Can’t beat it as a job but it doesn’t feel like a job so not many people can say that maybe about their careers, which is awesome.”
At 56 years old, Luke Tournier is still one of the best but he said when he doesn’t feel the excitement of racing around the track, he’ll step away and help the next generation.
“Every place I go, I want to win. That’s what makes it fun and good competition. If I’m not competitive in this sport, I want to drop the line. Then I want to get out of it. I got to be competitive,” Luke Tournier said.
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