(L-R): Stick Antoine, Duane Antoine, Madelyn Nolin and driver Vern Nolin celebrate the top bid at the Grande Prairie Stompede Tarp Auction Gala
Photo by Kass Patterson
Following a remarkable night at the Calgary Stampede Rangeland Derby Canvas Auction on Thursday, the momentum carried north to Grande Prairie as the second Chuckwagon Canvas Auction of 2026 took center stage at the Grande Prairie Stompede Tarp Auction Gala.
A total of 40 of the world’s top chuckwagon drivers were up for bid, offering sponsors a unique advertising opportunity and a once-in-a-lifetime chance to be part of the 2026 World Professional Chuckwagon Association Pro Tour.
This year’s sale had big shoes to fill. The 2025 Grande Prairie auction shattered all previous records, fueled in part by a larger field of 44 wagons. While this year’s sale featured four fewer drivers and slightly lower overall numbers, it still proved to be a strong and successful event, with a total of $593,000 bid on the 40 wagons.
For the second consecutive year, veteran driver Vern Nolin topped the auction, earning a high bid of $31,000 from Gold Horse Casino for the five-day show. The sale saw a low bid of $5,000, while the average came in at $14,825 and the median settled at $12,000. Solid figures to help launch the 2026 WPCA Pro Tour.
The final Chuckwagon Canvas Auction involving WPCA drivers will take place on Friday, May 1, 2026, in conjunction with the Ponoka Stampede at the Stagecoach Saloon on the Ponoka Stampede Grounds in Ponoka. The 2026 edition will mark a special milestone as the Ponoka Stampede celebrates its 90th anniversary.
For more information, visit wpca.com in the coming weeks.
Billy Melville
2026 Grande Prairie Stompede Canvas Auction Results
| Driver | Sponsor | Amount Bid |
| Vern Nolin | Gold Horse Casino | $31,000.00 |
| Evan Magee | FluidPRO Oilfield Services Ltd. | $27,000.00 |
| Kurt Bensmiller | Triple Threat Diesel | $26,000.00 |
| Dean Dreger | R/T Rentals Inc. | $26,000.00 |
| Chanse Vigen | Medallion Energy Services | $25,000.00 |
| Obrey Motowylo | Dynamic Energy Group Inc. | $24,000.00 |
| Troy Dorchester | Zoro Energy Services Corp./PureChem Services | $22,500.00 |
| D.J. King | Bonnetts Energy Corp. | $22,500.00 |
| Dustin Gorst | Trono Trucking & Construction Ltd. | $21,000.00 |
| Tuff Dreger | Hearts and Hoofprints – The Les David Foundation | $21,000.00 |
| Cody Ridsdale | Envolve Energy Services | $20,000.00 |
| Ryan Baptiste | Sunchild Law | $20,000.00 |
| Kris Molle | Kinetic Energies Inc. | $19,000.00 |
| Todd Baptiste | Friends of Baptiste Racing | $18,000.00 |
| Mitch Sutherland | Westcor Construction Ltd. | $16,000.00 |
| Cruise Bensmiller | Steelhaus Tryton | $15,500.00 |
| Jason Glass | Birchcliff Energy Ltd. | $15,000.00 |
| Jamie Laboucane | Wild Rows Pump & Compression Ltd. | $15,000.00 |
| Layne MacGillivray | Baron Oilfield Supply | $15,000.00 |
| Chad Fike | TOMCO Group of Companies | $14,000.00 |
| Wade Salmond | De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Ltd. | $14,000.00 |
| Evan Salmond | De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Ltd. | $12,000.00 |
| Jordie Fike | Full Force Ventures Ltd. | $12,000.00 |
| Luke Tournier | Pidherney’s | $10,500.00 |
| Layne Flad | Thatchwood Ventures Ltd. | $10,500.00 |
| Dallas Dyck | Precision Contracting Inc. | $10,500.00 |
| Preston Faithful | De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Ltd. | $10,000.00 |
| Chance Flad | Control Tech | $10,000.00 |
| Phil Arcand | Compass Access Solutions Ltd. | $9,000.00 |
| Logan Gorst | Bootlegger | $8,500.00 |
| Rae Croteau Jr. | Catalyst Production Systems Ltd. | $8,500.00 |
| Dale Young | Astro Oilfield Rentals Ltd. | $8,500.00 |
| Troy Flad | Welcome to Alberta | $7,500.00 |
| Dayton Sutherland | Nordic Energy Canada Corp. | $7,500.00 |
| Doug Irvine | Swab Pro (2018) Ltd. | $7,500.00 |
| Gage Flad | Baron Oilfield Supply | $7,500.00 |
| Ross Knight | Ken Sargent GMC Buick Ltd. | $7,000.00 |
| Roger Moore | Sundown Oilfield Services Ltd. | $7,000.00 |
| Chance Bensmiller | Shadow Rathole Drilling Ltd. | $6,500.00 |
| Darcy Flad | Friends of Grande Prairie Stompede | $5,000.00 |
| Total Amount Bid | $593,000.00 | |
| Average Bid | $14,825.00 | |
| Median Bid | $12,000.00 | |
| High Bid | $31,000.00 | |
| Low Bid | $5,000.00 | |
| 2025 Total | $853,000.00 | |
| Difference Over 2025* | -$260,000.00 | |
| * Total number of wagons sold down from 44 in 2025 to 40 in 2026. |
