After a successful career in pony wagons and chariots, Phil moves to thoroughbred chuckwagons in 2026 as a WPCA Permit Driver. He debuted in the big wagons in 2025 at Frog Lake First Nation, finishing tenth overall, and recorded three top-ten runs in just two shows, highlighted by a fifth-place finish at the Lloydminster CPCA Finals.
Phil began in pony chariots in 2006 and moved to pony wagons in 2010, earning APCCCA Rookie of the Year honours. He went on to win back-to-back APCCCA championships in 2023 and 2024, and the Ponoka Stampede Pony Chuckwagon Championship in 2025, with additional experience racing in Texas.
A third-generation driver, he follows his grandfather Richard Arcand and father Rubin Arcand, and made the move to big wagons with encouragement from Cliff Cunningham and the goal of competing at the Calgary Stampede.
Phil works for Ensign Energy and enjoys hockey and golf in the off-season. He and his partner Tezra are expecting their first child in August 2026 and live on Alexander First Nation near Morinville, Alberta.
