Chuckwagon races are underway at the “Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth,” and organizers say they’ve implemented new measures designed to increase safety at the event.
Calgary Stampede spokeswoman Christina Barnes said the most obvious change will be on the track in the number of wagons.
In previous years four cars competed in each heat – this year this was reduced to three cars.
“That’s the only thing people will notice as they watch from the stands and on TV,” Barnes said.
Custom-made contouring shoulders have also been added to the track to create a buffer between the cars and the rails.
“In the past, people would see some pylons on the track. So we replaced them with these arms that slide out for the races,” Barnes said.
“If there’s contact between them and a car, they swing back and break on the side of the rail. So it’s not a tripping hazard, it’s just to create that extra space on the track.”
Stampede spokeswoman Christina Barnes stands next to new custom-made contouring shoulders designed to create a safety zone on the track. (Marc-Antoine LeBlanc/Radio-Canada)
The Rangeland Derby chuckwagon races return to this year’s Stampede after missing the past two years — in 2020 after the entire Stampede was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and in 2021 because organizers cited safety concerns.
Chuck wagons have long been controversial among animal rights groups in Canada and the United States.
In 2019, at the last Derby, six horses died. That matches the second-deadliest casualty in Stampede history.
The return of the event caused some animal rights groups to back down.
When Kevin Costner was announced as the parade marshal for this year’s escape, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, called on him to step down, citing the event’s history, which reportedly includes the deaths of more than 70 horses over the years.
“Reducing some of the dangerous aspects of racing is like cutting off only one ear of a dog instead of two. It’s better than nothing, but it’s not good enough,” PETA said in an emailed statement Tuesday.
“The only way to stop horses from being hurt and from dying is to stop using them, and PETA joins every animal welfare organization under the sun and kind people in Canada who want this reckless, barbaric horse racing to just end.”
The Stampede has repeatedly said that animal and human safety is its #1 priority.
“As always, we welcome PETA for a direct discussion about our animal care practices,” CBC News previously said in an email.
Drivers are happy to return
Chris Molle, a professional wagon driver, said he is excited to return to the Calgary Stampede, despite the changes.
“It’s definitely more exciting with four cars, but there will definitely be more room to maneuver on the track,” Molle said. “The reason they did it was for safety reasons. So try this year is all we can do.’
Molle said he thinks chat racing is no different than any sport when it comes to safety.
“You have your incidents. We must take the necessary precautions to continue to improve to become better and safer. It’s with every sport,” he said.
Pro cart driver Kris Molle says he expects the Rangeland Derby to continue to be a good show even with recent changes designed to increase the safety of the event. (Marc-Antoine LeBlanc/Radio-Canada)
The Stampede said it is making efforts to carry out increased veterinary inspections and pointed to ongoing studies at the University of Calgary focusing on chat racing.
University researchers are trying to find ways to reduce the likelihood of horse injuries by studying track conditions and how they affect the horses’ hooves and bones as they gallop at full speed. Sensors were placed on horses’ hooves, cannon bones and radii using saddles fitted with data measuring devices.
Dr. Renaud Léguillette, a professor of veterinary medicine at the university, told CBC’s The Homestretch that harder dirt is healthier for bones and joints, while softer tracks are harder on tendons and ligaments.
Calgary’s weather changes often, Léguillette said, and that will change conditions.
“I’m really confident that even by next year they’re probably going to make some changes and at least monitor, you know, the stiffness of the track and implement some changes to the track if needed,” Legillet said.
This year’s races are scheduled to run over nine heats per night. Twenty-seven drivers competed for the prize money, along with their 162 horses.
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