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EQUINE OUTFIT OF EXCELLENCE
While the champion breeding and bucking stock have been celebrated at the Calgary Stampede for years - some of the most remarkable horses have performed in the spotlight without formal recognition. With the launch of the Equine Outfit of Excellence program the chuckwagon horses are now getting their due. These awards annually recognize and reward the top six equine athletes at the GMC Rangeland Derby.
The original concept was conceived by outrider Eddie Melville, grandson of the late Orville Strandquist, and the program has been a part of the World Professional Chuckwagon Association since 2005. In 2013, the Canadian Professional Chuckwagon Assocation has also implemented the program. Points will accumulate over the first eight nights of racing for horses on the five top wagons each night.
The Fitness to Compete program that the Stampede initiated in 2011 tracks chuckwagon horses each night they run using microchip technology. This way every horse can be accurately recorded for the nights they compete. By combining this record of racing with final racing standings each night, a compilation of each horse's individual points will be generated.
The six awards will be chosen for the racing positions of: Right Leader, Left Leader, Right Wheeler, Left Wheeler and finally two Outriding horses.
Once the final listings of points are available after night eight of racing, the winning horses will be named to the Outfit of Excellence.
Chuckwagon horses will be awarded first followed by the outrider horses. Once a position is filled, the driver who owns the selected horse is not eligible to have another horse named to any of the remaining positions. Tie-breaking criteria will help sort out the final Outfit of Excellence if necessary.
YEAR
HORSE
POSITION
OWNER
2012
Tycoon
Right Leader
Jason Glass
2012
River
Left Leader
Mike Vigen
2012
Skippy
Right Wheeler
Kirk Sutherland
2012
Ciano
Left Wheeler
Hugh Sinclair
2012
Smiles
Outriding Horse
Gary Gorst
2012
Max
Outriding Horse
Rick Fraser
2013
Tycoon
Right Leader
Jason Glass
2013
Nickle
Left Leader
Rick Fraser
2013
Candy
Right Wheeler
Chanse Vigen
2013
Woody
Left Wheeler
John Walters
2013
Allen
Outriding Horse
Gary Gorst
2013
Pamjet
Outriding Horse
Reg Johnstone
2014
Blazer
Right Leader
Wayne Knight
2014
Ace
Left Leader
Kurt Bensmiller
2014
Law
Right Wheeler
Rick Fraser
2014
Colonel
Left Wheeler
Kirk Sutherland
2014
Tom
Outriding Horse
Rae Croteau Jr.
2014
All About Me
Outriding Horse
Tim Haroldson
2015
Silver
Right Leader
Jason Glass
2015
Muggs
Left Leader
Jamie Laboucane
2015
Victor
Right Wheeler
Obrey Motowylo
2015
Butch
Left Wheeler
Mike Vigen
2015
Westjet
Outriding Horse
Roger Moore
2015
Shopsky
Outriding Horse
Colt Cosgrave
