By Laurence Heinen
Learning to fly a helicopter indirectly helped Kirk Sutherland get permission to race one more year at the Cowboys Rangeland Derby.
Although the Calgary Stampede has a rule that drivers can only compete up to the age of 65, Sutherland appealed to the chuckwagon committee to allow him to race at least one more year.
“I asked them to revisit the age situation,” said the veteran reinsman from Grande Prairie, who turned 66 in September.
Ever the thrill seeker, Sutherland decided to pursue getting his helicopter pilot’s licence two years ago.
“As soon as you get flying and you decide to fly, well then you need to get a medical,” said Sutherland, who was also asked to submit to the same tests in order to prove he was fit enough to race past the age of 65 at the Rangeland Derby. “You can fly in with a helicopter, but you can’t drive a chuckwagon. It seems a little funny … so they just had to look at it in different ways. They agreed and they were happy and I was happy.”
Sutherland also made the argument that since drivers missed the entire 2020 season due to the Covid-19 pandemic and that the Rangeland Derby was cancelled the next year, that he was robbed of a couple years of racing at the biggest chuckwagon show in the world.
“I think it was more to prove a point than anything, that he could do it,” said his son Mitch, who joined his father on the World Professional Chuckwagon Association circuit as a driver in 2004. “He’s still competitive and still fit and capable.”
But this year will most likely be the last time that the 2016 Calgary Stampede champion will compete at the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.
“I think this is probably the last year,” said Sutherland, who will still support Mitch’s chuckwagon racing endeavours. “I don’t feel motivated. I’ve got 10 grandkids and they’re growing up and you’re missing all the basketball, the volleyball and the football. It’s time to move on.”
Aboard his Shaw GMC Chevrolet Buick wagon on Monday, Sutherland finished second behind day-money winner Codey McCurrach (Flynn Canada – Building Envelope) in Heat 6 in a time of 1:12.58. That tied him for 11th spot on the night with his nephew Mark Sutherland (Horizon Drilling), who placed second in the seventh heat behind Rae Croteau Jr (Cinch Oilfield Hauling).
Through four nights of racing at this year’s Rangeland Derby, the elder Sutherland is sitting 20th overall in the aggregate standings.
“I’ve got a steep five-second penalty to climb out of,” said Sutherland in regards to the barrel he knocked over during the second night of racing action at the 10-day show. “Mitchell’s in contention (in 15th spot), so that’s all you can go with now.”
On the afternoon before Monday’s races, Sutherland wasn’t sure whether his 17-year-old grandson Weston was going to outride with him or his dad Mitch, since both Sutherlands were running in the seventh heat.
“I didn’t ask him who he chose – if he chose grandpa or daddy,” said Sutherland, who eventually found out that Weston decided to work for his dad. “I didn’t ask and nobody really said. He can make his own mind up, I guess.”
As for getting his quest to become a helicopter pilot, Sutherland has flown with his instructor and has manned the controls on enough solo flights that he can now write the test to get his licence.
“It’s a good rush,” said Sutherland, who has his own helicopter stored at his place in Grande Prairie just waiting to be flown. “You wouldn’t believe. It’s a different outlook of the world from up there than it is down here.”
While his father will bid adieu to the chuckwagon racing lifestyle at the conclusion of the 2023 WPCA season, Mitch has no plans to lay down the reins anytime soon.
“It’s really hard to walk away from because you fall in love with the horses and the competition and even the atmosphere,” he said. “We’re competitors on the racetrack, but everyone’s pretty friendly back here. It’s a lifestyle, I guess, and you just get used to it.”
Meanwhile, his dad will soak in that atmosphere at the Calgary Stampede one last time over the final six nights of racing.
“It’s great,” Sutherland said. “I’ll wave goodbye to the crowd and that’ll stay in your head for awhile, but it’s the other shows and the people. That’s what you’ll miss is the people.”
