By: Billy Melville
Alberta’s booming economy combined with the publicity that the Calgary Stampede and WPCA Dodge Pro Tour attract, are most certainly boosting the sale price of chuckwagon canvas’ much to the pleasure of today’s chuckwagon driver.
For the second consecutive year, the Calgary Stampede Auction, which took place on April 19 at the Archie Boyce Theatre in Calgary, set an overall record of $4,003,500.
A new record total bid on the 36 participating wagons compared was up a staggering $1,143,500 over the 2006 record total of $2,860,000.
It was the first time the Calgary auction crossed over the $4-million mark. $2,710,500 of the total was bid on the 22 drivers who will represent the WPCA at this year’s Calgary Stampede, with $1,293,000 bid on the 14 drivers from the CPCA Circuit. Twenty-six of the 26 drivers sold for $100,000 or more, with WPCA drivers taking 15 of the top 18 bids.
The Hear Now Inc. – a new canvas sponsor – bought 10-time Calgary Stampede Champion Kelly Sutherland for $205,000, the top price at this year’s auction and a new record for a single bid at the Calgary Stampede.
The average bid on all 36 wagons was $111,208.33 with the median bid being $105,000, with the low bid being $60,000. If you count the Calgary Stampede, and combine it with the new record total of $2662,500 for the 2007 WPCA Dodge Pro Tour canvas auctions, over $5.3 million was bid on WPCA drivers for 2007.
2007 should be a healthy competition for the Calgary Stampede’s Orville Strandquist Award for Top Rookie Driver. Two drivers – Darcy Flad and Shane Cartier – both from the World Professional Chuckwagon Association will be making their first appearance at the 2007 Calgary Stampede Rangeland Derby.
It was a last minute decision, but veteran chuckwagon driver Jason Johnstone has decided not to run on the 2007 WPCA Dodge Pro Tour. Johnstone will be replaced by veteran chuckwagon driver Harold McCarthy. McCarthy, who started driving big wagons in 1989, will drive for the first time on the WPCA Dodge Pro Tour, after spending his entire career driving on the CPCA circuit.
The World Professional Chuckwagon Association was saddened by the sudden passing of Tommy Sinclair, father of three-time Calgary Stampede Champion Hugh Sinclair, on Wednesday, April 25 at the age of 78 years. Tommy raced chuckwagons professionally from 1971-1982, and raced at the Calgary Stampede consecutively between 1971-1978.
He was one of the top drivers on the circuit in his time, placing in the top ten of the world standings three times - ninth place in 1976 and 1977, and fourth overall in 1978.
“Timber Tom” as he was often referred to, enjoyed his best year in 1978 when he placed fifth overall at the Calgary Stampede, fourth overall in the world standings, and set a track record at Hudson Hope, BC, which still stands today.
He was a founding and life member of the World Professional Chuckwagon Association, and was the recipient of the WPCA’s Special Tribute Award in 2002. Tommy will be missed by all in the WPCA, and we extend our sincere condolences to the Sinclair family.
