Spring training is almost here, which means we are one day closer to the start of the 2024 WPCA Pro Tour presented by GMC.
This season will once again commence in Grande Prairie, Alberta with a line-up filled with champion drivers and horses all vying to be chuckwagon racing’s best.
One of the drivers back for his 18th season on the WPCA Pro Tour is Hoadley Alberta’s Obrey Motowylo. Recognized as the Hoadley Hornet, Motowylo finished the 2023 race season in 7th place, down 5 spots from his 2nd place finish in 2022.
After a busy off-season, Obrey is now focused on getting ready for spring training. A short period of time that in some cases can be affected by weather. The recent snowfall in Central, Alberta would be an example, however, it hasn’t discouraged the 2021 World Champion. In fact, he already has a start date circled on his calendar.
“We are getting organized to drive the new ones” he says, “My son Ethan’s birthday is on April 14th, we always start after that date.” Spring training at the Motowylo farm will begin with 32 horses, including 13 new ones. 2 of those new horses are 5-year-olds he picked up last fall. “These 5-year-olds are nice horses, but the big brown horse is going to be handful” says Obrey, “both horses have never had a bridle on, so I’m not sure what to expect.”
While the new ones always create optimism, it’s the veterans that create the confidence. Obrey expects to have his good wheel team Mikey and Booky back in 2024. Mikey is a big sorrel Right Wheeler who teams up with Left Wheeler Booky to contribute to Obreys success. The duo were hooked for his track record run at the Calgary Stampede Rangeland Derby in 2023.
Since 2008, Obrey has received 5 Equine Outfit of Excellence Awards for his horses. In 2023, “Runner” was one of the Equine Outfit of Excellence Champion Outriding horses. Obreys son Ethan who won the World Outriding Title in 2023, holds the lead team and rides Runner. The 9-year-old Kentucky bred bay gelding had 29 career starts on Alberta racetracks before moving to Obrey’s outriding team.
The horses Obrey hooks for his first race in Grande Prairie will be determined in a few months. Until then the family will train at home and eventually relocate to the Bashaw track to drive horses in early May.
