As anticipation grows for the 2026 chuckwagon racing season, the excitement is steadily building for driver Preston Faithful, who continues to rise within the World Professional Chuckwagon Association (WPCA).
Faithful, who represents the Frog Lake First Nation, will enter his third season on the WPCA Pro Tour in 2026. His performances in 2025—including a strong showing at the Calgary Stampede’s Rangeland Derby—have positioned him as a driver on the verge of a major breakthrough. He opened the 2025 Stampede with a fourth-place finish on Day 1, sending an early signal that he could challenge the sport’s top names. He went on to finish 16th overall in the WPCA world standings by season’s end.
Faithful’s emergence is the result of years of groundwork. Before joining the WPCA, he spent 15 seasons driving chariots and pony wagons, followed by a successful run in the Canadian Professional Chuckwagon Association (CPCA) beginning in 2018. His rapid development in the CPCA was recognized in 2022 when he was named the association’s Most Improved Driver. That same season, horses from his barn earned a nomination to the CPCA Equine Outfit of Excellence, underscoring both his horsemanship and his growing program.
Faithful made his Calgary Stampede debut in 2023, finishing as a top contender for the Orville Strandquist Top Rookie Award, ultimately placing just behind Wade Salmond. His Stampede appearances have helped grow a strong fan following, many of whom see him as one of the WPCA’s most promising competitors heading into 2026.
As he continues to move up the standings, Faithful has expanded and strengthened his barn. He now manages more than 20 head of horses, adding new talent from Kentucky, Vancouver, and Winnipeg during the offseason. His focus is on assembling a competitive outfit for the coming year, including finding a wheel team he believes could give him the consistency needed to contend for show titles.
Each night he hits the track, Faithful says the excitement is the same—and often amplified by the fact that he is lining up beside “living legends†of the sport. That sense of shared history, combined with his growing competitiveness, has made him a driver to watch heading into the new campaign.
Faithful’s partnership with De Havilland Aircraft of Canada, highlighted at major stops such as the Ponoka Stampede and Calgary Stampede, has further elevated his visibility within the sport. His representation of both his community and his sponsors has drawn attention from fans and industry observers alike.
Once spring training gets underway and with new horsepower entering the barn, expectations are high as the 2026 season approaches. Faithful’s mix of experience, momentum, and expanding equine power has placed him firmly in the conversation as a potential breakout performer on the upcoming WPCA Pro Tour.
GREG BUCHANAN
