(L-R): Chuckwagon Driver Dean Dreger is all smiles as he receives a commemorative buckle from 2026 Ponoka Stampede Princess Brooke Baehl and Ponoka Stampede Association Director for Chuckwagon Racing Jim Harbidge for being the highest selling driver for 2026.
Photo by Billy Melville
The 2026 chuckwagon season was already shaping up to be historic at the Ponoka Stampede with the celebration of the event’s 90th Anniversary and the running of the $90,000 Tommy Dorchester Championship Final Heat. But on a remarkable night in Central Alberta, the Ponoka Stampede Chuckwagon Canvas Auction shattered every previous record and delivered one of the most successful sales in WPCA history.
Prime advertising space was made available on the chuckwagons of the top 32 drivers in the world, along with four Wildcard Wagons competing on chuckwagon racing’s premier circuit. For the fourth consecutive year, the Ponoka Stampede established a new all-time auction record, bringing in an incredible $904,500.00 — the first time the sale has ever surpassed the $900,000.00 mark.
The record-setting total eclipsed last year’s previous high of $617,000.00 by an astounding $287,500.00. Leading the way was Dean Dreger, whose tarp was purchased by Four Legged Adventures for a staggering $150,000.00 for the six-day show beginning June 26, 2026. The sale averaged $25,125.00 per driver, while the median bid settled at an even $20,000.00. The evening’s lowest bid came in at $9,000.00 for one of the Wildcard Wagon positions.
The final chuckwagon canvas auction involving WPCA drivers in 2026 will take place May 26 at the Jackpot Grill & Events Centre in Grande Prairie, Alberta for the Teepee Creek Stampede. The Teepee Creek Stampede is scheduled for July 10–12, 2026 in Teepee Creek, Alberta.
In less than a month, the wagons officially roll into Grande Prairie for the opening stop on the WPCA Pro Tour presented by GMC from May 27–31, 2026 with the running of the Grande Prairie Stompede. More information is available at wpca.com.
Billy Melville
2026 Ponoka Stampede Chuckwagon Canvas Auction Results
| Driver | Sponsor | Amount Bid |
| Dean Dreger | Four Legged Adventures | $150,000.00 |
| Obrey Motowylo | Midwest Pipelines Inc. | $39,000.00 |
| Kurt Bensmiller | Versatile Energy Services Ltd. | $32,000.00 |
| Luke Tournier | Pidherney’s | $31,000.00 |
| Chanse Vigen | Ermineskin Cree Nation | $30,000.00 |
| Kris Molle | Eagle Builders | $28,000.00 |
| Ross Knight | In Memory of Bruce Quance | $27,000.00 |
| Layne Flad | Wetaskiwin Ready Mix | $27,000.00 |
| Jamie Laboucane | Wild Rows Pump & Compression Ltd. | $26,000.00 |
| Darcy Flad | Wetaskiwin Ready Mix | $26,000.00 |
| Wade Salmond | De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Ltd. | $25,000.00 |
| Evan Salmond | De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Ltd. | $24,000.00 |
| D.J. King | High Octane Welding Ltd. | $24,000.00 |
| Layne MacGillivray | Ensign/Summit Fleet/Cascade Energy/League Projects/Secure Specialty Chemicals | $23,000.00 |
| Jason Glass | Birchcliff Energy Ltd. | $22,000.00 |
| Troy Flad | Central Alberta Tile One | $22,000.00 |
| Tuff Dreger | Hearts and Hoofprints – The Les David Foundation | $21,000.00 |
| Chad Fike | TOMCO Group of Companies | $20,000.00 |
| Troy Dorchester | PureChem Services/Team Rig & Supply | $20,000.00 |
| Preston Faithful | De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Ltd. | $20,000.00 |
| Jordie Fike | Torch Remote Camps | $20,000.00 |
| Chance Bensmiller | McWilliam Auto Appraisal Services/Tornado infrastructure Equipment | $20,000.00 |
| Dustin Gorst | Century Downs Racetrack and Casino | $20,000.00 |
| Mitch Sutherland | Morskate Manufacturing | $20,000.00 |
| Logan Gorst | Inter-Pacific Specialized Services Ltd. | $19,000.00 |
| Dayton Sutherland | Sutherland Racing Inc. | $18,000.00 |
| Chance Flad | Optimum Equipment Solutions | $18,000.00 |
| Rae Croteau Jr. | In Memory of Kim Graham | $18,000.00 |
| Evan Magee | Irvine Tack and Western Wear | $18,000.00 |
| Doug Irvine | Spruce Grove Saints | $18,000.00 |
| Wildcard #4 | VJV Livestock Marketing Group | $18,000.00 |
| Cruise Bensmiller | Red Deer Lock & Safe Ltd. | $17,000.00 |
| Todd Baptiste | CBO Earthworks | $14,000.00 |
| Wildcard #1 | Quick Mats Ltd. | $11,000.00 |
| Wildcard #3 | Hayshakers Bobcat Service Ltd. | $9,500.00 |
| Wildcard #2 | Irvine Tack and Western Wear | $9,000.00 |
| Total Amount Bid | $904,500.00 | |
| Average Bid | $25,125.00 | |
| Median Bid | $20,000.00 | |
| High Bid | $150,000.00 | |
| Low Bid | $9,000.00 | |
| 2025 Total | $617,000.00 | |
| Difference Over 2025 | $287,500.00 |
