By: Billy Melville
After another successful running of the Ponoka Stampede, the WPCA Dodge Pro Tour took a break for the Calgary Stampede Rangeland Derby from July 6 to 15.
It was the start of a very memorable month for brothers Luke and Léo Tournier from Duck Lake, Saskatchewan, as the brothers combined to win the two richest events in chuckwagon racing today.
First it was the elder brother Luke who showed his stuff at the Calgary Stampede GMC Rangeland Derby. Driving the Cowboy’s Posse Outfit, and along with outriders Dave Biever, Chad Fike, Logan Gorst, and Eddie Melville, he dominated the event with one of the most impressive performances in Calgary Stampede history.
Luke placed in the top three eight of the 10 nights including four first-place runs. He won the Richard Cosgrave Memorial Trophy for having the top aggregate time after the first nine nights, the Mullen Transportation Safe Drive Award for the least penalized driver, and won the $100,000 sudden death final to capture the 2007 Calgary Stampede Rangeland Derby Championship.
The sudden death championship final heat was composed of Luke Tournier, who was making his second appearance in the Calgary sudden death final, along with former World Champion Chuckwagon drivers Reg Johnstone and Rick Fraser, and three-time Richard Cosgrave Memorial Trophy winner Norm Cuthbertson.
It was the second time that Luke Tournier was the undisputed Calgary Stampede Champion having won both the aggregate and the sudden death championship final heat in 2005.
Shane Cartier took home the Orville Strandquist Award for being the Top Rookie Driver at this year’s Calgary Stmpede Rangeland Derby. Tyler Helmig was very seriously injured in an accident that occurred on night 9.
July 11 to 13 also saw some wagons compete at the Colonial Days Fair in Lloydminster. This show is open to wagons from the WPCA Dodge Pro Tour and the CPCA circuit not competing at the Calgary Stampede. The sudden death championship final heat was composed of Obrey Motowylo, Barry Hodgson and Tim Haroldson.
For the second time in his career, Tim Haroldson, driving the Morley Muldoon Transport Outfit, and along with outriders Lanson Gaudry and Clem Weeseekase won the sudden death championship final heat and the Colonial Days Fair title. Haroldson was also he top aggregate wagon for the three-day event.
Following the Calgary Stampede, it was the younger brother Léo’s turn to show what he could do, this time at Edmonton’s Chuckwagon Derby. Léo, who did not compete at Calgary this year, was ready for the richest event on the WPCA Dodge Pro Tour.
With three top-three runs in the first four days of the five-day show, Léo not only qualified for his first WPCA sudden death championship final heat, but qualified in first place overall and cashed $3,000 in bonus cheques for winning his heat on three of the first four days.
Léo was joined in the sudden death championship final heat by two-time Edmonton Champion Rick Fraser, the 1997 Edmonton Champion Reg Johnstone, and former North American and Ponoka Champion Grant Profit.
Léo capped off the best show of his life as he drove the MC Campbell Directional Boring Outfit, along with outriders Ryan McAleney and Chanse Vigen to victory in the sudden death final to claim Edmonton’s Chuckwagon Derby and a $50,000 first-place cheque.
Like his brother Luke, Léo was the tops in the aggregate as well becoming the undisputed champion of Edmonton’s Chuckwagon Derby. It was Léo Tournier’s first win in a major chuckwagon event and he became the first Saskatchewan based driver to win the big show in Edmonton.
Obrey Motowylo won the DC Energy Services Clean Drive Award at Edmonton’s Chuckwagon Derby.
The WPCA Dodge Pro Tour travelled to Drumheller July 27 to 29 for the Badlands Dinosaur Derby. Neal Walgenbach., driving the Super 8 Motel Outfit, along with outriders Shawn Calf Robe and Brian Mayan captured the Badlands Dinosaur Derby for the first time in his career.
His three-day aggregate time of 3:22.92 was 1.05 seconds faster than runner up Luke Tournier. Three-time defending champion Rae Croteau Jr. placed third overall with Leo Tournier and Mark Sutherland rounding out the top five.
Walgenbach also established a new track record on the final night with a 1:06.30.
Barry Hodgson won the DC Energy services Clean Drive Award.
The WPCA Dodge Pro Tour now moves to Strathmore for the WPCA Dodge Pro Tour Championship and Strathmore Heritage Days Stampede, then to Dawson Creek, BC, for the Battle of the North before the season ending show at Red Deer.
The WPCA will return to Medicine Hat August 24 to 26 to make up the Medicine Hat Stampede, however it will not count towards the world standings.
The WPCA Qualification run off will then take place the following week in Bashaw, Alberta.
