NORTH BATTLEFORD - The Canadian Professional Chuckwagon Association has released its schedule of 2022 races and the big news is that North Battleford is slated to be back on the schedule.
The North Battleford race is set for June 16-19. Last year’s race had been moved to Poundmaker Cree Nation to accommodate COVID-19 restrictions.
The season opens in Prince Albert June 3-5, then goes to Meadow Lake June 9-12.
Then the wagons are in North Battleford June 16-19, Wainwright June 23-26 and Onion Lake June 29-July 3.
Next is the marquee event of the season, the North American Chuckwagon Championship at Lloydminster Exhibition Grounds, July 8-16.
Afterwards, the series heads to Little Pine July 22-24, Frog Lake July 28-31 and Poundmaker Aug. 4-7. There is another stop on the tour scheduled for Aug. 12-14 at a locale to be determined.
The season then ends with the Lloydminster event at Lloydminster Exhibition Grounds Aug. 17-21.
This schedule is contingent on the CPCA being able to avoid the COVID-19 chaos that has impacted the sport the last two seasons. Last year, the CPCA was able to a get a season in to completion, despite ongoing COVID-19 restrictions that resulted in some schedule changes. In 2020, the pandemic restrictions forced the cancellation of the entire season.
A noticeable change for fans of the sport, one that took effect in recent years, is that the CPCA is no longer sending its wagons to the Calgary Stampede’s Rangeland Derby.
A decision was made in fall 2020 by the Stampede that beginning in 2022 the Rangeland Derby would only invite drivers competing in the World Professional Chuckwagon Association.
The Lloydminster-based North American Chuckwagon Championship event was created in part to fill that void and have a marquee event on the schedule to attract the CPCA drivers. The Rangeland Derby was cancelled in both 2020 and 2021.
