By Laurence Heinen
Layne MacGillivray doesn’t want to put any additional pressure on himself heading into the 2024 Cowboys Rangeland Derby.
Sure, he’s the defending Calgary Stampede chuckwagon champion and all, but that’s in the past and he’s concentrating on the future.
“As far as coming in as the defending champ, I’m not trying to put any added pressure on myself or anything over that,” said the 49-year-old reinsman from Halkirk, Alta. “Basically, I’m going to take the same approach that we have the last couple years and take it one day at a time.”
That tactic worked a year ago when he finished second behind 2023 Richard Cosgrave Memorial Trophy winner Kurt Bensmiller in the aggregate standings through nine nights of racing. Then in the championship Dash for Cash last July 16, MacGillivray edged out Bensmiller – a four-time winner in Calgary himself – at the finish line by a mere 34/100ths of a second.
“July 16, 2023, I’ll be a long time forgetting this (day), I’ll tell you that,” said MacGillivray right after securing his first Rangeland Derby title as well as a $50,000 payday. “It’s been amazing. I don’t even know how to put it into words.”
Prior to his winning trip around the Calgary Stampede track, MacGillivray was also presented with the Guy Weadick Memorial Award, which is given annually to the one chuckwagon or rodeo competitor who best represents what a cowboy stands for and embodies the spirit of the Calgary Stampede. It is based upon ability, appearance, showmanship, character, sportsmanship and cooperation with other cowboys, the arena crew, the media and the public.
Consistency will once again be the key for MacGillivray to replicate the success he had a year ago on chuckwagon racing’s biggest stage.
“You’ve got to think that it’s a marathon and not a sprint,” said MacGillivray, who’s currently sitting in third spot in the World Professional Chuckwagon Association (WPCA) driver standings behind Rae Croteau Jr. and Chad Fike. “You want to go there and do good each night, but you’ve also got to stay clean and you’ve got to stay consistent. We’ll see what the horses bring us and the weather and everything else. We’ll go from there and do what we can.”
As for the weather, it proved costly for Chanse Vigen on the second last night of competition in 2023. While the night started out with perfect weather and racetrack conditions, it deteriorated quickly with a heavy ran and hail storm that slowed the track down by nearly five seconds for the final four heats of the night.
While Bensmiller, MacGillivray and Ross Knight were able to secure the top three spots in the aggregate standings, Vigen fell into fourth place, just 59/100ths of a second out of securing a spot in Sunday’s championship final.
“It was unfortunate and it was disappointing,” said Vigen, who went on to win his first World Champion chuckwagon driver title with the WPCA. “With that being said, I took some penalties early on in the week that kind of took me out of it. I felt like we could outrun the penalties and for the most part we did. You’ve got to clean up the penalties and then you leave yourself a little wiggle room if something happens with the weather like happened last year.
“I’m not here to make excuses. It’s a new year and we’ve got to run clean. We won’t have to worry about the weather if we run clean and do our jobs.”
The 40-year-old product of Grande Prairie, Alta., who now calls Calgary home, would love nothing more than to capture his first Rangeland Derby title, a feat his grandfather Ralph accomplished on three occasions in 1972, 1976 and 1985.
“That’s the only thing left that I really have on my bucket list,” said Vigen, who won four Rangeland Derby titles as an outrider in 2002, 2010, 2011 and 2016. “You’re always trying to expand your credentials or your resume, if you will, but the Calgary Stampede’s the only one I want to knock off at this point.”
To accomplish his lofty goal, Vigen will have to fend off challenges from the likes of Bensmiller, 2022 Rangeland Derby winner Kris Molle, veteran driver and 2013 champion Jason Glass and, of course, MacGillivray.
“Everyone comes here to do the best they can, so it’s no different with ourselves,” MacGillivray said. “There’s a lot of tough wagons out here right now. It’s not going to be easy for anybody, for sure.”
After experiencing his fair share of troubles in Calgary last year, Molle would like nothing more than to return to the former glory that saw him win the $50,000 top prize in 2022.
“Oh, the atmosphere, it’s second to none,” said Molle in regards to competing in front of the crowds that pack GMC Stadium for 10 straight nights. “You can’t beat this place and how they treat you and the venue and the track. What they put into it, it’s amazing, so it’s the place you want to be.”
MacGillivray echoed his fellow competitor’s sentiments.
“It’s one of the shows you strive for,” said MacGillivray, who will employ his son Trey as well as Brendan Nolin as his outriders once again this year. “Whenever you get into this sport, it’s the one that you want to win and you want to succeed at. We were fortunate to do that last year. I guess we’ll see what shakes out this year.”
