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Chuckwagon Racing

Chuckwagon racing is a racing sport of the equestrian discipline, in which a chuckwagon pulled by four thoroughbred horses is raced around a track. The sport originated in Canada is extremely popular in the Prairie provinces.

Races are contested in teams. One rider commands the chuckwagon, and two or four other riders, known as outriders, each riding a thoroughbred, follow the chuckwagon, acting as a support crew.

For each race a maximum of four teams are allowed to compete. A race starts with a procedure called the breaking camp, in which an outrider throws a stove into the wagon (if four outriders are used two camp poles should also be loaded onto the wagon). After that, the chuckwagon and the outriders should complete an eight pattern around two barrels before heading on to the track.

a chuckwagon race at the Calgary Stampede

Barring any infractions, like the stove not being loaded, a barrel being knocked out, or an outrider finishing too far behind, the wagon that crosses the finish line first is the winner of the race.

The most popular chuckwagon racing happens at the Calgary Stampede, which is held annually, where about 26 teams participate. Multiple governing bodies of chuckwagon racing also conducts several races, of which the GMC Pro Tour, a 10 race season, conducted every year by WPCA is the most popular.

Similar Sports

• Combined Driving — a driver on a carriage pulled by horses takes part in three events: dressage, marathon and cones.
• Scurry Driving — ponies pull a carriage with two riders around a track.
• Harness Racing — horses trot or pace while pulling a driver in a sulky.
• Chariot Racing — horses pull along a driver riding a chariot (extinct sport).
• Skijøring — being pulled either by a dog, a horse or a motor-operated vehicle while on skis.
• Horse Racing — equestrian sport that involves jockeys riding horses or being pulled along by horses.
• Rodeo — a sporting event comprising many different sports, including the following Calf Roping, Breakaway roping, Team roping, Barrel racing, Steer wrestling, Goat tying, Bronc riding, Bull Riding, Steer roping and Pole bending.

Related Pages

• About Carriage Driving — sports in which horses or ponies are hitched to a wagon, carriage, cart or sleigh by means of a harness.
• Other horse riding sports
• List of all sports involving horses
• Unusual sport: Ban'ei, a Japanese event which requires a draft horse to pull a weighted sled up sand ramps.
• Complete list of sports
• The Encyclopedia of Sports

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