By Laurence Heinen
The World Professional Chuckwagon Association capped off a record-breaking season by handing out awards to deserving recipients earlier this month.
The Grey Eagle Resort and Casino played host to the 2023 WPCA Awards Banquet where Chanse Vigen was the big winner following his epic season in which he qualified for five championship final heats and won three show titles at the Grande Prairie Stompede, the Ponoka Stampede and the Battle of the Rockies.
For his efforts, Vigen took home three beautiful leather jackets, which were sponsored by GMC, to commemorate his trio of show titles.
In addition, Vigen won a commemorative bronze and buckle sponsored by GMC, a jacket sponsored by KMC Sales and a framed photo sponsored by Shellie Scott Photography for capturing his first-ever World Champion Driver award by compiling a record-breaking 1,573 points, which was just three more than fellow reinsman Jamie Laboucane.
“Chanse and Jamie, they actually surpassed Layne MacGillivray’s total (of 1,500 points) from the year before when Layne was the runaway winner,” said Paul Ryneveld, who was impressed with the quality of chuckwagon racing action during his first season as General Manager of the WPCA. “The competition on the WPCA circuit, it’s definitely tough. Truly the pinnacle of chuckwagon racing is to compete on the WPCA Tour.”
Vigen started off the WPCA season with a bang by winning both the Ralph Vigen Memorial Aggregate Title, in memory of his grandfather, and then overcoming a two-second penalty in the championship final heat to claim his first Grande Prairie Stompede title in his hometown.
Heading into the Ponoka Stampede, Vigen had slipped back to sixth overall in the driver standings while Obrey Motowylo and Laboucane jumped to the front of the pack by virtue of their show titles in Bonnyville and Medicine Hat respectively.
“That was all just kind of a setup, in a way, for Ponoka,” said Ryneveld in regards to Vigen’s bounce-back performance that saw him sweep all six first-place day monies en route to winning his first Ponoka Stampede title. “That was his show. He dominated from start to finish.”
After MacGillivray secured his first-ever Cowboys Rangeland Derby title at the Calgary Stampede, Laboucane kicked off the second half of the season by capturing the Battle of the Foothills championship crown in High River to prove that he belonged on the WPCA Tour following a decorated career of racing on the Canadian Professional Chuckwagon Association circuit.
Galloping into the Battle of the Rockies in Rocky Mountain House in mid-August, Laboucane held a slim 31-point advantage over Vigen atop the standings. Vigen closed that gap and drew even with his counterpart at 1,419 points by virtue of winning his third show title of the year and setting a track record on the final night of racing in Rocky Mountain House in the process.
That set up an intense battle to the finish at the season-ending show at Century Downs Racetrack and Casino where the two drivers waged an intense battle over four exciting nights of chuckwagon racing action. Ultimately, it was Vigen who prevailed by the slimmest of margins over Laboucane, who fought valiantly right down to the finish.
“Nothing says more to the excitement of the season than the World Championship race going down to the final day at Century Downs,” said Ryneveld, who noted that attendance was up by about 24,000 people over the 10 WPCA shows throughout the season. “All in all, that part was successful and the show committees were obviously happy with having more people show up for the days and nights of racing.”
2023 WPCA AWARDS
- World Champion Driver sponsored by GMC – Chanse Vigen
- World Champion Outrider sponsored by connectFirst credit union – Ethan Motowylo
- Past Member Tribute Award sponsored by the Ranchmans – Dale Gray
- WPCA Chuckwagon Person Of The Year sponsored by the WPCA – Mitch Sutherland
- George Normand Lifetime Builder Award sponsored by KDB Carpentry – Arnie Jackson
- Herman Flad Memorial Award (Most Improved Driver) sponsored by The Troy Flad Family – Tuff Dreger
- Rod Glass Memorial Award (Most Improved Outrider) sponsored by Jeff and Julie DeSutter – Trey MacGillivray
- Top Rookie Driver Award sponsored by Coolbet – Todd McCracken
- Top Rookie Outrider Award sponsored by Revolution Hot Tubs – Weston Sutherland
- Clean Driver Award sponsored by KMC Sales – Jason Glass
EQUINE OUTFIT OF EXCELLENCE sponsored by Import Tool Corp.
- Right Leader – Chanse Vigen’s “Max”
- Left Leader – Kris Molle’s “Wildcat”
- Right Wheeler – Chad Fike’s “Rocco”
- Left Wheeler – Jamie Laboucane’s “Marshmallow”
- Outriding Horses – Jason Glass’s “Lucky Ed” & Obrey Motowylo’s “Runner”
2023 WPCA SHOW CHAMPIONS
Grande Prairie Stompede
Driver – Chanse Vigen
Outriders – Rory Armstrong, Ryan MacNeill & Ethan Motowylo
Bonnyville Chuckwagon Championship
Driver – Obrey Motowylo
Outriders – Hayden Motowylo & Ethan Motowylo
Dewberry World Chuckwagon Races
Driver – Chad Fike
Outriders – Tyler DeSutter & Trey MacGillivray
Medicine Hat Exhibition & Stampede
Driver – Jamie Laboucane
Outriders – Hayden Motowylo & Tyson Whitehead
Ponoka Stampede
Driver – Chanse Vigen
Outriders – Rory Armstrong & Ethan Motowylo
High River Battle of the Foothills
Driver – Jamie Laboucane
Outriders – Hayden Motowylo & Trey MacGillivray
Strathmore Stampede
Driver – Ross Knight
Outriders – Jory Bronken & Chance Flad
Dawson Creek Battle of the North
Driver – Rae Croteau Jr.
Outriders – Tyler DeSutter & Brendan Nolin
Battle of the Rockies
Driver – Chanse Vigen
Outriders – Tyler DeSutter & Ethan Motowylo
Century Downs Aggregate Championship
Driver – Layne MacGillivray
Outriders – Nolan Cameron & Brendan Nolin
Century Downs “Winners’ Zone” Championship
Driver – Layne MacGillivray
Outriders – Nolan Cameron & Brendan Nolin
2023 SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARDS
- Elite Team Series Champions sponsored by Roper and Wrangler – Team Strathmore Stampede/Lammles (Chance Bensmiller, Chad Fike, Jason Glass, Kris Molle)
- Special Sponsor Presentation – UFA recognized for supporting the WPCA Rookie Racer program and youth.
- WPCA Chuckwagon Committee Of The Year Award – Battle of the Rockies
- Active Supporter Awards – Blackjack Livestock Co., Diane Ashley, Tal Hogbin & Ken and Myrnie Malvin
- WPCA Media Award sponsored by Billy Melville Productions – Laurence Heinen
- Judging Award sponsored by R James Western Star – Marty Maxwell
- Special Recognition Award sponsored by the WPCA – Darlene Bensmiller
- Ty Tournier Memorial Award sponsored by Steve and Lynn Fountain – Dale Aebly
