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The World Professional Chuckwagon Association (WPCA)

The History of Chuckwagon Racing - How It All Began

The idea of staging a chuckwagon race as an actual “event” was dreamed up by Calgary Stampede founder Guy Weadick. There are many thoughts on what inspired Guy Weadick’s dream.

It’s been suggested that Guy Weadick saw match races at the 1922 Gleichen Stampede between farm wagons pulled by 4 horses. Or, growing up on cattle ranches, Weadick witnessed many impromptu races between ranch outfits at the end of a round-up where the wagons would race to the nearest town saloon and the last ones there had to buy the first round of drinks.

Former Calgary Stampede arena director Jack Dillon recalled a customary gathering of pioneers and cattlemen in Miles City, Montana where ranch outfits would meet 4 miles from town, the mayor would ride out and start the race to the centre of town where the first outfit there got the best camping spot the town could offer. There were also the stories from the great land rushes in South Dakota and Oklahoma.

Another thought is that at the 1919 Victory Stampede, cooks from 2 chuckwagons - who upon completion of serving a barbecue in front of the grandstand - loaded up their chuckwagons and raced down the track to see who

Guy Weadick

could get to the exit gates first much to the pleasure of the grandstand crowd. Others claim that “Sundown” or “Wildhorse” Jack Morton, an original participant in the first official races, was the one who suggested the idea to Guy Weadick.

What really matters is that the dream was realized by Guy Weadick, and the first “official” races took place at the 1923 Calgary Stampede with just 6 outfits participating. Race rules, for all intensive purposes, were originally non-existent and were added every night of that first competition.

Over the years, rules and equipment have been altered but the one thing that has remained consistent is that the chuckwagon races are one of the most exciting forms of entertainment available to the public at large.

The success of the first races of 1923 saw many other communities throughout Alberta and abroad adding chuckwagon races to their local rodeos and fairs in the years to follow. This became the basis of the WPCA Dodge Pro Tour as we know it today.
By Billy Melville

The World Professional Chuckwagon Association (WPCA)

THE WPCA IS AN ASSOCIATION OF PROFESSIONAL COWBOYS AND BUSINESS PEOPLE WITH AN INTEREST IN PRESERVING OUR WESTERN HERITAGE AND PROVIDING EXCITING FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT.
THE WPCA PROMOTES AND PRESENTS CHUCKWAGON RACING AS A PROFESSIONAL SPORT THROUGHOUT NORTH AMERICA AND THE WORLD.
THE WPCA OFFICERS ARE A VOLUNTEER ADVISORY GROUP HANDLING THE DAY TO DAY BUSINESS OF THE ASSOCIATION.
THE WPCA BOARD OF DIRECTORS IS MADE UP OF ELECTED OFFICERS AND DRIVERS WITH A LONG TERM GOAL OF EXPANDING THE DODGE TOUR PROVIDING FULL TIME EMPLOYMENT FOR THE DRIVERS.
THE WPCA IS A CLOSE KNIT FAMILY THAT MENTORS IT’S NEW DRIVERS IN SAFETY AND PROFESSIONALISM TO PRESERVE THE INTEGRITY OF THE WPCA.
THE WPCA HAS AN AGGRESSIVE MARKETING PROGRAM WITH A FULL TIME DIRECTOR OF MARKETING TO ENSURE OUR SPONSORS RECEIVE FULL VALUE FOR THEIR INVESTMENT.

The WPCA Dodge Pro Tour

THE WPCA DODGE TOUR IS AN 11 STOP RACE SERIES AT THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS. EACH VENUE HAS DESIGNATED PARKING WITH WATER AND ELECTRICITY.

1. GRANDE PRAIRIE		5 DAYS
2. MEDICINE HAT		3 DAYS
3. LETHBRIDGE		3 DAYS
4. HIGH RIVER		4 DAYS
5. PONOKA		6 DAYS
* Plus Calgary Stampede		10 DAYS
* Plus Lloydminster		3 DAYS
6. BONNYVILLE		4 DAYS
7. DRUMHELLER		3 DAYS
8. STRATHMORE		5 DAYS
9. DAWSON CREEK		5 DAYS
10.RED DEER		4 DAYS
11. EDMONTON		5 DAYS
* TOTAL		47 DAYS
* Not Counted In Total Days

DAIMLER CHRYSLER (RAM TOUGH DODGE TRUCKS) AND THE ALBERTA CHRYSLER DEALERS ASSOCIATION HAVE JOINED THE WPCA AS OUR TITLE SPONSOR.
THE WPCA DODGE TOUR HAS A GUARANTEED 36 WAY PAYOUT AT ALL SHOWS WITH AN AVERAGE OF $15,000.00 PER DAY IN PRIZE MONEY AND AN AVERAGE OF OVER $1000.00 PER DAY FOR THE DAY MONEY WINNER.
THE WPCA DODGE TOUR HAS EIGHT INDIVIDUAL DRIVER AWARDS WITH A CASH VALUE OF OVER $100,000.00 .

1. ROOKIE DRIVER

2. MOST IMPROVED DRIVER

3. CHUCKWAGON PERSON OF THE YEAR

4. CLEAN DRIVE

5. WHEELS ON FIRE

6. WORLD CHAMPION CHUCKWAGON DRIVER

7. WPCA DODGE PRO TOUR CHAMPION DRIVER (Showcase Event In Conjunction with Strathmore)

8. EQUINE OUTFIT OF EXCELLENCE

THE WPCA DODGE TOUR FEATURES THE FOLLOWING MAJOR PRIZES:

WPCA DODGE PRO TOUR CHAMPION (Declared at Strathmore)

RECEIVES THE USE OF:

A DODGE ONE TON DUALLY FOR ONE YEAR SUPPLIED BY DAIMLER CHRYSLER.

THE WORLD CHAMPION CHUCKWAGON DRIVER

RECEIVES THE USE OF:

A DODGE ONE TON DUALLY FOR ONE YEAR SUPPLIED BY DAIMLER CHRYSLER

TO INCREASE EXCITEMENT FOR THE DRIVERS AND FANS A NEW TOUR FINALS FORMAT HAS BEEN DEVELOPED:

THE TOP EIGHT DRIVERS ON THE TOUR AFTER EDMONTON, COMPETE AT STRATHMORE IN A SEPARATE FORMAT TO DETERMINE THE FINAL FOUR QUALIFIERS IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP SUDDEN DEATH FINAL.
THE WPCA DODGE TOUR HAS PAID OUT OVER $1,000,000.00 IN PRIZE MONEY IN THE PAST THREE YEARS

The WPCA Dodge Pro Tour Canvas Auctions

THE WPCA HAS AN AUCTION COMMITTEE CONSISTING OF
REPRESENTATIVES FROM EACH TOUR EVENT AND THE WPCA.

TO ENSURE EACH DRIVER RECEIVES EQUAL EXPOSURE TO OUR SPONSORS THE WPCA HOLDS FOUR TARP AUCTIONS EACH SEASON.
ONE IS A SATELLITE AUCTION CONDUCTED BY CANADIAN SATELLITE LIVESTOCK AUCTIONS (VOLD JONES & VOLD) COVERING SIX OF THE SEVEN EVENTS ON THE WPCA DODGE TOUR.
THE OTHER AUCTIONS ARE A SITE SPECIFIC SALE FOR THE EXCITING AND EXPANDING KLONDIKE CHUCKWAGON DERBY, BADLANDS DINOSAUR DERBY, AND THE DODGE WORLD CHUCKWAGON CHAMPIONSHIPS.
THE WPCA DODGE TOUR AUCTION SPLITS PROCEEDS 80% TO THE DRIVER AND 20% TO EACH EVENT COMMITTEE.

The WPCA Dodge Pro Tour Sponsor Retention Program

THE TARP SPONSORS PROVIDE THE MAJORITY OF THE INCOME FOR THE DRIVERS TO GO DOWN THE ROAD. THESE SPONSORS ARE ALSO VITAL TO SUCCESS OF THE WPCA.

THE WPCA HAS DEVELOPED A PROGRAM FOR THE DRIVERS TO ENSURE THAT THEY RETURN FULL VALUE TO THEIR SPONSORS.

THE VALUE OF RETAINING AN EXISTING SPONSOR CAN BE CALCULATED USING THE OLD BUSINESS FORMULA:

IT ONLY COSTS A LITTLE EXTRA EFFORT TO RETAIN YOUR EXISTING SPONSOR.

IT COSTS 75% MORE IN TIME AND MONEY TO DEVELOP A NEW SPONSOR.

Qualifying For The WPCA Dodge Pro Tour Canvas Auctions

THERE WILL BE A MAXIMUM OF 36 WAGONS ON THE WPCA DODGE PRO TOUR.

THE TOP 30 WAGONS EACH SEASON QUALIFY FOR A SPOT ON THE NEXT YEARS DODGE TOUR.

THE REMAINING SIX SPOTS ON THE DODGE TOUR ARE FILLED AS FOLLOWS:

THE REMAINING POSITIONS WILL BE DETERMINED IN A QUALIFICATION RUN OFF.

THERE WILL BE A MINIMUM OF SIX (6) POSITIONS AVAILABLE EACH YEAR.

DRIVERS MUST BE SANCTIONED BY THE WPCA PRIOR TO ENTERING THE DODGE TOUR QUALIFICATION RUNOFF.

· AN ENTRY FEE IS CHARGED FOR THE ANNUAL RUN OFF.

· INITIATION FEE FOR NEW MEMBERS:

EXPERIENCED DRIVERS:
TEN (10) PERCENT OF ALL TARP AUCTIONS TO A MAXIMUM OF $10,000.00.

DRIVERS WITH NO PREVIOUS RACE EXPERIENCE:
$1000.00 INITIATION FEE

WPCA Media Relations & Promotion

THE WPCA HAS A PROFESSIONAL DIRECTOR OF MARKETING ASSIGNED TO MEDIA RELATIONS, ADVERTISING AND TELEVISION PRODUCTION.

THE WPCA PROVIDES STATISTICS, RESULTS AND INFORMATION TO ALL MEDIAS FOLLOWING EACH DAY OF CHUCKWAGON RACING.

THE DIRECTOR OF MARKETING NEGOTIATES MEDIA TIME AND ADVERTISING IN LOCAL NEWS PAPERS, MAJOR MARKET NEWS PAPERS AND TELEVISION.

EACH DAY OF RACING ON THE TOUR IS BROADCAST LIVE ON THE CAT COUNTRY RADIO NETWORK

THE FINAL DAY OF RACING AT THE EDMONTON KLONDIKE DERBY WILL BE TELEVISED THE SAME DAY ON ITV.

OUTDOOR LIFE NETWORK (OLN) PRODUCES 13 ONE HOUR EPISODES OF A SERIES ENTITLED "HALF MILE OF HELL" WHICH AIRS NATIONALLY

All written information, photographs, along with numerous other logos, pictograms, and graphics, illustrated within this site are the property of the WPCA and other organizations and individuals, and cannot be used without expressed permission from the parties involved. Please contact the WPCA Office at 403-236-2466 for more information.

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