Blair Vold (L) With Chuckwagon Driver Troy Dorchester (R)
October 13, 1955 ~ May 11, 2025
Photo Courtesy of Troy Dorchester
“I believe in Chuckwagon Racing and I believe in its tradition” – Blair Vold
The World Professional Chuckwagon Association is mourning the news that longtime active supporter Blair Vold “Went West” on Sunday, May 11, 2025, after a lengthy illness at the age of 69.
Born and raised in Ponoka, Alberta, Blair grew up around sports, the cattle industry, and the Ponoka Stampede. His father Ralph was an elite athlete who played professional hockey professional baseball throughout the 1950’s. In 1957, Ralph Vold and his brother Harry, along with Bill and Shorty Jones, purchased an auction barn in Ponoka, Alberta, and Vold, Jones, and Vold Auction Co. Ltd. (VJV) was born.
In 1970, 14 year old Blair Vold joined his father Ralph and the Jones brothers at VJV, cleaning pens and learning the ropes on sale days. At age 17, Blair got his pilots license and began covering Western Canada servicing customers, drumming up new business and securing cattle sales for VJV. Over the years Blair assumed the management role as the generation ahead of him retired, and by the 1990’s Blair and his father Ralph had bought out their partners. As VJV was gradually turned over into Blair’s hands, Blair modernized VJV to keep pace with the times and to stay ahead of the growing competition. In 1991, Blair and best friend Brant Hurlburt revolutionized livestock marketing in Canada by founding Canadian Satellite Livestock Auction (CSLA), allowing producers to sell their cattle to a broader audience via satellite TV. In his 45 years at VJV, Blair saw the Alberta industry grow into the 4th largest cattle feeding area in North America, claiming Ponoka as the “Cattle Capital of Canada”.
In 1980, Blair joined the Ponoka Stampede Association’s Board of Directors. His uncle Harry Vold was the auctioneer at the very first chuckwagon canvas auction at the Calgary Stampede in 1979, and throughout the 1980’s Blair witnessed how chuckwagon sponsorship at the Calgary Stampede had prospered through their canvas auction. In 1992 Blair and the Ponoka Stampede Association began the first talks with the World Professional Chuckwagon Association (WPCA) surrounding the canvas auction concept for the WPCA Pro Tour, but it wasn’t until April 20, 1995 that the first chuckwagon canvas auction outside of the Calgary Stampede was held for a startup chuckwagon event – the Klondike Chuckwagon Derby in Edmonton. The auction was a tremendous success as thirty chuckwagons were auctioned off for the three-day show and a total of $159,050.00 was raised. The sale topper was chuckwagon legend Dallas Dorchester who received $14,000.00 from Blair Vold to run the Vold, Jones and Vold Auction Co. Ltd. canvas. Blair also bought a second driver, a young up and coming driver named Troy Dorchester for $10,500.00 to run the canvas of Canadian Satellite Livestock Auction.
In 1995 while in his first term as President of the Ponoka Stampede Association, Blair proposed to the WPCA a “World Tour Chuckwagon Canvas Auction” for the 1996 WPCA race season to be handled by CSLA. Blair had seen how CSLA had revolutionized livestock marketing over the previous five years, and believed he could bring the same success to marketing chuckwagon drivers and their tarps. Blair’s relentless perseverance with the WPCA paid off, and on Thursday, April 18, 1996 thirty WPCA Chuckwagon Drivers had their canvas’ auctioned off at three locations throughout Alberta via satellite in the first WPCA Pro Tour Satellite Canvas Auction. The sale exceeded expectations as chuckwagon tarps at four WPCA Pro Tour shows – the Grande Prairie Stompede, the North American Chuckwagon Championship in High River, the Ponoka Stampede and the Strathmore Heritage Days – were sold for combined total of $452,000.00. By creating the WPCA Pro Tour Satellite Canvas Auction, Blair Vold almost single handedly revolutionized chuckwagon canvas sponsorship, and the satellite canvas auction was a staple on the WPCA Pro Tour for the next twenty years.
As a chuckwagon canvas sponsor, Blair continued to support Troy Dorchester, and VJV was Dorchester’s sponsor when he made his first Championship final heat at the Grande Prairie Stompede in 1996. The VJV outfit with Troy Dorchester driving made the Grande Prairie finals in 1998 and 1999, the later being the year they won the Grande Prairie Stompede Championship. It was the first victory of Troy Dorchester’s career. In 2001 Blair sponsored Herman Flad’s championship outfit at the Klondike Chuckwagon Derby in Edmonton under the canvas of CSLA, and Blair’s VJV outfit made the finals of the Grande Prairie Stompede in 2008 with Reg Johnstone as the driver.
Between 1995 and 2014, Blair sponsored an awe-inspiring eighteen individual chuckwagon drivers. Primarily backing chuckwagon driver Troy Dorchester, the canvas of Vold, Jones and Vold Auction Co. Ltd. also graced the chuckwagons of Dallas Dorchester, Herman Flad, Jake Friesen, Troy Flad, Tom Glass, Léo Tournier, Barry Hodgson, Reg Johnstone, Sean DeBolt, Grant Profit, Jason Johnstone, Luke Tournier and Bob Van Eaton, while the canvas of Canadian Satellite Livestock Auction canvas was carried by Troy Dorchester, Edgar Baptiste, Wally Shingoose, Kurt Bensmiller, Brian Mayan, Léo Tournier and Herman Flad. In 2002 and 2003 Blair partnered up with Brent Denham of Denham Ford in nearby Wetaskiwin, Alberta, and the two billed themselves as “The Car and Cattle Capital of Canada,” throwing their support behind chuckwagon driver Léo Tournier.
Throughout he 2000’s Blair was instrumental in securing the $50,000.00 Tommy Dorchester Championship Final Heat at the Ponoka Stampede Chuckwagon Finals, served his second term as President of the Ponoka Stampede Association in 2005-2006, and in 2008 he brought Shaw TV in to broadcast both the Ponoka Stampede Rodeo and Chuckwagon Races throughout Alberta, and then across Canada on Shaw Direct the following year. The Shaw Television broadcasts ran until 2013. Blair served a third term as President of the Ponoka Stampede Association in 2017-2018, and remained an active member of the Board of Directors right up until his passing. Throughout his 45 years as part of the Ponoka Stampede Association, Blair Vold helped shape the Ponoka Stampede into one of the greatest western events anywhere in the entire world. From a chuckwagon standpoint, the Ponoka Stampede was the recipient of a record eight WPCA Top Race Committee Awards, and Blair himself was honored with a WPCA Active Supporter Award in 1999.
Blair Vold was a man who embraced history and tradition, and combined it with an entrepreneurial spirit second to none. He was a cowboy, a businessman, an innovator, a visionary, and a mentor and role model to many. He was a crucial and influential force in the evolution of chuckwagon racing among many other things over the years. Blair’s contributions will never be forgotten. In a 1995 Edmonton Journal article, Blair was quoted as saying “I Believe in Chuckwagon Racing and I believe in its tradition.”
Blair is survived by his wife Sheryl; son Nansen and wife Jennifer (Jayden, Cheyanna); daughters Labrie and husband Allen Kruger (Taylor, Reid), and Gjenna and husband Dave Saretsky (Jack, Emma); his step-daughter Sarah (Lyric, Bella and Arrianna); his mother Dolores; brother Ryan (Ellie); sisters Cathy Wiancko (Joe), Lori, and Vicky Robinson (Duane); his numerous cousins, nieces, nephews; and his beloved dog Odie.
He was predeceased by his father Ralph and his step-son Cooper.
The Vold family would like to give their sincere thank you to Dr. Halse, Angie Rentz, and Christina Wedin for their care and compassion, as well as the Ponoka Home Care staff.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Canadian Rodeo Historical Association (Box 18069, Shawnessy RPO, Calgary, AB. T2Y 0K3) and the Ponoka Arts, Recreation, and Culture Society (Ponoka PARCS, 5013 49 Ave. Ponoka, AB. T4J 1R5).
A celebration of Blair’s life will be held at the Ponoka Stampede Grounds Grandstand on Tuesday, June 3, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. The doors will open at 12:30 p.m. to allow for seating and Blair’s cocktail hour.
Blair was one of the best friends chuckwagon racing has ever had. He will be deeply missed by all in the WPCA, the chuckwagon community in general, and chuckwagon fans everywhere. We extend our sincere condolences to the Vold family.
Billy Melville
