Chuckwagon races, no matter the size of the horses pulling the wagons, provide great entertainment for the entire family and this year, these races will be a huge and exciting part of the Rimbey Rodeo.
Miniature chuckwagon races will be held July 14 and 15, during regular rodeo performances.
Promotions director Hazel Street said the miniature chucks have been brought back by popular demand.
“We had them about two years ago,” she said. “They were really good. Everyone liked them, so we brought them back.”
Ron Consgrave from Wetaskiwin, president of the Alberta Miniature Chuckwagon Racing Association, said between eight and 10 wagons will participate in the races.
Consgrave, a former pony and thoroughbred chuckwagon racer, began racing the miniature horses about three years. He has found little difference in the races.
“You’re still driving. You’re still handling four lines. And they’re quick.”
Consgrave said miniature horses were clocked at 32 km/h while competing in races in Armstrong, B. C.
Racing miniature horses is not without risks. Wagons, which weigh 350 pounds, can tip easily, so it’s important the driver exercises skill and keeps his wits about him while competing.
Even experience and skill while handling the reins was not enough to keep Consgrave’s wagon from flipping last year when he was competing at the Calgary Stampede. The accident not only cost him the win, it put him on the injury list with four broken ribs and a punctured lung.
But, this year he is back, participating in a sport he loves.
“I still feel the rush of adrenalin and the excitement. And I still want to win,” he added. “I don’t like losing.”
Consgrave is especially looking forward to coming to Rimbey.
“Rimbey is closer to home than Calgary and it has a bigger infield. I really wanted to come back.”
He said the Rimbey Rodeo is a reflection of the town itself, offering fun and excitement, but more importantly, friendship, laughter and a chance to be part of the small town flavor the community is famous for.
“There is no fighting and arguing and it’s not competitive, really. It’s more of a hobby. That’s what it’s all about. It’s just fun.”
The Alberta Miniature Chuckwagon Racing Association is a non-profit organization organized in 1998.
The miniature chuckwagon races are run with two wagons per heat and as many heats as events time allows. Drivers complete a figure-8 pattern around two barrels and then proceed around a track formed by pylons in an outdoor or indoor arena.