Left: Dale Johansen (L) Receives The Pioneers Of Rodeo Award From Calgary Stampede Rodeo Committee’s Vice Chairman Duane Kadey (R); Centre: Calgary Stampede Rodeo Committee’s Brian Hanson Accepts The Pioneers Of Rodeo Award On Behalf Of Dean Oliver; Right: Calgary Stampede Chuckwagon Committee Chairman Mason Brookwell (L) Presents The Pioneers Of Rodeo Award To Hugh Sinclair
Photo By Tom Valentine
The Calgary Stampede handed out it’s prestigious Pioneer’s of Rodeo Awards July 11, 2022. The class of 2022 included former Chuckwagon Driver/Outrider Hugh Sinclair, Tie Down Roper Dean Oliver and Bull Rider Dale Johansen.
A second generation chuckwagon driver, Hugh Sinclair began his career as an outrider in 1982, and in 1988 he stood on stage at the Calgary Stampede for the first time as an outrider for Dave Lewis’ championship outfit, and for a second time in 1990 again as a champion outrider for Dave Lewis.
With the help of veteran drivers George Normand and Doyle Mullaney, Hugh drove his first race in Rimbey at the age of 18, and qualified for his first Calgary Stampede Rangeland derby as a chuckwagon driver in 1989.
The next 10 years Hughie posted numerous first place runs at the Calgary Stampede proving he had the horsepower to contend at the big show, but had yet to qualify for the championship final. But as the new millennium arrived, that all changed when Hughie not only qualified for his first Rangeland Derby Championship Final Heat, but won the 2000 Richard Cosgrave Memorial Trophy, symbolic of the Calgary Stampede Aggregate Winner. Less than 24 hours later, Hughie Sinclair took home his 1st Calgary Stampede Rangeland Derby Championship defeating Kelly Sutherland, Jason Glass and Troy Dorchester in the process.
He captured his second Rangeland Derby Championship in 2004 over Neal Walgenbach, Bert Croteau and Norm Cuthbertson, and when he won his third in 2006 over Kelly Sutherland, Neal Walgenbach and Jerry Bremner, Hughie Sinclair became the Calgary Stampede’s first $100,000.00 Chuckwagon Champion.
Hugh would win his fourth and final Rangeland Derby in 2008 over Kelly Sutherland, Kirk Sutherland and Jason Glass in what would be legendary Calgary Stampede Track Announcer Joe Carbury’s final race call. To this day Hughie is the only chuckwagon driver to go undefeated in the Rangeland Derby Championship Final in two or more appearances.
In 1955 Dean Oliver became the first Tie-Down Roper from the Northwest to win the World’s championship which up to that point had been monopolized by ropers from Texas and New Mexico. In 1958 Dean won his first North American Tie Down Roping Championship at the Calgary Stampede en route to capturing his second world Tie Down Roping Championship.
The 1960’s was the decade of Dean Oliver. He would win the world Tie Down Roping Championship 6 times in 10 years including 5 consecutive titles from 1960 to 1964, and won for the eighth and final time in 1969. Had it not been for 2 broken catch ropes at the 1966 National Finals Rodeo, Dean Oliver might have been a nine-time World Tie Down Roping Champion. He also captured a string of 3 consecutive World all -around championships from 1963 to 1965 competing in Steer Wrestling and Tie Down Roping, and added two more North American Tie Down Roping Championships at the Calgary Stampede in 1964 and 1969.
After a brief retirement in 1973, Dean resumed his career part way through the 1974 season. After missing the Calgary Stampede in 1975, Dean returned to Calgary in 1976. That year 46 year old Dean Oliver narrowly defeated a 20 year-old rookie named Roy Cooper to win his fourth and final North American Tie Down Roping Championship at the Calgary Stampede. He competed at the Calgary Stampede for the last time in 1982, when, at age 52, he accepted a special invitation to compete in the first fifty-thousand dollar jackpot.
As one of the famous Johansen brothers from Strathmore, Dale Johansen loved to ride bulls. He turned professional in 1980.
In 1982 the Calgary Stampede offered rodeo’s first ever fifty thousand dollar payout, and Dale found himself in the Stampede Showdown against Gary Houle, Mike Bandy and Jody Tatone. Dale covered the bull Gringo for a 90 point ride to capture the 1982 North American Bull Riding Championship and became bull riding’s first fifty thousand dollar winner in the process.
1983 saw Dale make the final 4 at the Calgary Stampede for the second consecutive year, placing third behind eventual champion Wacey Cathy. But later that year Dale won his first of two consecutive Canadian Bull Riding Championships, and he qualified for his first of four National Finals Rodeos as well.
At the 1984 Calgary Stampede, Dale once again found himself in the final four for the fifty thousand dollar showdown alongside of Greg Schlosser, Lane Frost and Donnie Gay. A whopping 91 point ride aboard a bull named Graham saw Dale win his second North American Bull Riding Championship in three years, and along with saddle bronc rider Brad Gjermundson, he became the Calgary Stampede’s first two-time fifty thousand dollar winner.
Congratulations to all three recipients for this well earned honor.
Billy Melville
