Tom Glass
December 8, 1948 – June 26, 2026
Tom Glass was born into a chuckwagon dynasty on December 8, 1948. His grandfather, Tom Lauder, and his father, Ronnie Glass, were among chuckwagon racing’s greatest champions, while his mother, Iris, was one of the most respected horsewomen in the sport.
Tom got his start as a competitor at the age of 10 when he followed his older brother, Reg, into jockeying his parents’ racehorses. After a few years, however, he outgrew jockeying and turned his attention to outriding. In 1963, while returning from the Cheyenne Frontier Days, chuckwagon legend Hank Willard asked 14-year-old Tommy Glass to outride at the show in Casper, Wyoming. Although his debut ride was a struggle, the journey of a future legend had officially begun.
In 1965, at just 16 years of age, Tom felt he was ready to outride at the Calgary Stampede. His father Ronnie was among the favorites that year, and Tom asked if he could outride for him. Ronnie, believing his son wasn’t quite ready to handle one of the top outfits, suggested he gain experience elsewhere first. Tom caught on with Bill Greenwood instead. When the Stampede concluded, it was Bill Greenwood—with Tommy Glass as one of his four outriders—who captured the 1965 Calgary Stampede Rangeland Derby Championship, while Ronnie Glass finished second. After that, Ronnie had no hesitation in hiring his son as one of his outriders.
In the fall of 1966, Tom accompanied his friend Deryle Mullaney to South Texas to help train thoroughbreds for the great chuckwagon driver and promoter Cliff Claggett. It was there that Tom caught the bug for driving chuckwagons. The following year, in 1967, he assembled his own thoroughbred chuckwagon outfit and made his debut as a chuckwagon driver at the Calgary Stampede.
The 1970s proved to be a bittersweet decade. In 1971, Tom cracked the top ten overall at the Calgary Stampede for the first time as a chuckwagon driver and won his second Calgary Stampede Rangeland Derby Championship as an outrider behind Tom Dorchester. Tragically, those accomplishments were overshadowed by the death of his younger brother, Rod, who was fatally injured in a chuckwagon accident on the sixth night of the Stampede.
Tom persevered, earning his first show championship as a driver at the Ponoka Stampede in 1972 before adding victories at the Cheyenne Frontier Days in 1974 and again in 1976. The 1977 Calgary Stampede was especially meaningful when his fellow competitors selected him as the recipient of the Rod Glass Memorial Trophy, recognizing him as the Stampede’s Top Outrider.
The 1980s became the defining decade of Tom Glass’s career. In 1980, he captured the Battle of the Giants before his hometown fans in High River. Later that summer, he returned to High River for the season-ending North American Chuckwagon Championship, where he again emerged victorious on his way to claiming his first World Chuckwagon Championship.
He successfully defended the title in 1981, and added a third world championship in 1988. Throughout the decade, he finished in the top five of the World Standings in every season but one.
In 1983, Tom captured his first Calgary Stampede Rangeland Derby Championship as a driver. Four years later, he won his second Rangeland Derby Championship and also claimed the Calgary Stampede Aggregate Championship, further cementing his place among the sport’s elite.
The 1990s, much like the decade before, brought both triumph and heartbreak. Major victories at the Calgary Stampede Rangeland Derby in 1992 and the Ponoka Stampede in 1993 were soon overshadowed by the tragic death of his best friend and brother-in-law, Richard Cosgrave, in Kamloops on the final day of the 1993 season.
Champions are often defined by how they respond to adversity. The following July, Tom returned to the Calgary Stampede and captured his fourth and final Rangeland Derby Championship, dedicating the victory to the memory of Richard Cosgrave. Although he would win several more major shows before his career concluded, perhaps no title meant more than the 1998 Richard Cosgrave Memorial Trophy, emblematic of the Calgary Stampede Aggregate Championship. It was a fitting final championship for one of the sport’s greatest competitors. The 1998 season marked Tom’s final full campaign on the WPCA Pro Tour, and he made his last appearance as a chuckwagon driver at the Calgary Stampede in 1999.
Retirement did little to lessen Tom’s impact on the sport. He remained deeply involved behind the scenes, sharing his knowledge and experience with his son Jason Glass and nephews Colt and Chad Cosgrave as they carried on the family tradition. His legendary wit, tremendous knowledge of the sport, and unmistakable movie-star good looks also made him a popular color commentator on the Calgary Stampede’s broadcasts of the Rangeland Derby for .
Throughout his remarkable career, Tom Glass became the face of chuckwagon racing. His name—and his iconic checkerboard chuckwagon—became synonymous with excellence. Over more than 35 years of competition, he amassed three World Chuckwagon Championships, four Calgary Stampede Rangeland Derby Championships, countless major victories, and more than forty prestigious awards, earning his place as one of the greatest champions the sport has ever known.
Tom will be dearly missed by his wife of forty three years, Joanne, and by their children and cherished grandchildren: Corry (Mike) and their daughter Sutton of West Vancouver, B.C.; Jason (Brienne) and their children Bodie and Steele of High River; and Kristy (Reed) and their sons Ashtin and Aiden.
Tom is also survived by his siblings: his brother Reg (Jeanne) and their family—Reva (Brody) and their children Huxley and Hayden, and Ronnie; and his sister Tara (Ross) and her family—Kim (Burton) and their children Slade and Shy, Colt (Charleigh) and their children Harper, Jett, and Keylynn, and Chad (Lacey) and their sons Roan and Ari.
Acting Honourary Pallbearers and close friends include Paul Hambling, Joe Dodds, Allan Phillips, Brent Woolsley, Glen Jardie (in memory), and Richard Cosgrave (in memory).
Tom was predeceased by his brother Rod in 1971, his father Ronald in 1981, and his mother Iris in 2008.
Family was the heart of Tom’s life – his greatest joy came from the accomplishments of his children and grandchildren. His career in chuckwagons and movie stunt work was remarkable, and he carried a lifelong passion for team roping. He and Joanne cherished their winters in Arizona and the many adventures he enjoyed on his Harley on the boys bike trips.
Please join us in celebrating the life of Tom Glass at the Viking Rental Centre Arena, 204 Community Way, Okotoks, on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, at 2:00 p.m.
Arrangements in care of Snodgrass Funeral Home, High River. Phone: 403-652-2222.
Tom will be greatly missed by his many friends throughout the chuckwagon and motion picture communities. The World Professional Chuckwagon Association extends its sincere condolences to the Glass family as we remember and celebrate the life of one of the greatest chuckwagon champions of all time.
Billy Melville
