By TERRY PUGH
With almost three decades of chuckwagon racing under his belt, Robby Ethier of Grandora is edging closer to qualifying for the national stage.
“The goal for me is to make it to the Calgary Stampede Rangeland Derby at least once,” said Ethier. “That’s always the dream, right from the start, when you run the big wagons. It takes time, but I’m getting close.
“The Calgary Stampede will accept drivers up to age 65, so I’ve still got a few years left.”
Ethier, who turns 49 this month, finished seventh in the Canadian Professional Chuckwagon Association (CPCA) overall standings at the end of this year’s racing season, He came within half a point of being in the top six and having a chance to qualify for the 2025 CPCA Canadian Championship in Lloydminster on August 23.
Ethier grew up in a family where chuckwagon racing was always front and centre. His youth was spent around horses and he learned the sport from an early age. His father, Bert, raced pony chuckwagons for 45 years on a highly-competitive circuit in western Canada, and his grandfather, Remi, built chuckwagons.
“Growing up in that environment was good and bad at the same time,” said Ethier. “It was good that I got into it because I love it, and my kids love it and you meet a lot of people in so many communities. Honestly I wouldn’t know what to do if I wasn’t racing. It’s second nature to me.
“But, it was also bad because it’s an expensive sport. I usually have about 20 horses, and that’s a lot of oats and hay. It costs over $50,000 a year for feed alone, and there’s also the other expenses of keeping the horses healthy and comfortable. So I work full-time and then use my holiday time for racing during the summer.”
Ethier began driving his own pony chuckwagon outfit when he was in his late teens and early 20s. He paid his dues for 18 years in the pony chuckwagon ranks before making the jump to thoroughbred horses 11 years ago. He’s ranked among the top ten CPCA drivers this year as a result of strong finishes during the 10-stop CPCA racing circuit this past summer.
“I didn’t do too badly this year,” said Ethier. “It was probably my cleanest season since I started 11 years ago. I only had one penalty for knocking down a barrel. That’s a big factor, because penalties really hurt. The fewer the penalties, the longer you can stay in the hunt for top spot.”
While the CPCA racing circuit starts in mid-June, Ethier said the season actually begins in April when he and his wife Donna begin exercising their horses and getting them into shape on a track at their acreage in the RM of Vanscoy.
“Donna is from Meadow Lake and grew up around horses,” said Ethier. “She does massage therapy on the animals and is really knowledgeable about the dental side. Horses’ teeth are very important to their overall health.”
Ethier said his goal for next season is to place in the CPCA top five.
“The prize money is nice,” he said. “But corporate sponsorships are what keeps the sport going. Without sponsorships it would be really tough for drivers and event organizers.”
Ethier said safety for drivers, outriders, horses and fans is paramount at chuckwagon races.
“Accidents happen occasionally,” he said. “And I’ve been in a few situations where I’ve lost a horse or two and taken a few stitches myself. But overall, safety is a big thing, especially for the horses. Critics of chuckwagon racing don’t realize how much people involved in the sport love their horses and treat them well. We spend thousands of dollars to keep our horses healthy.”
Ethier said most thoroughbred chuckwagon horses are retired race horses that are over five years old.
“These horses are born to run, that’s what they love,” he said. “It’s a second career for them, and lots of them go for many years. My oldest horse is 18 years old, and I’ve had some that were over 20 years old and still racing.”
Ethier said chuckwagon racing is “definitely an extreme sport” that packs a huge adrenaline rush.
“That’s the most exciting part of the racing, for sure,” he said. “I’m always looking for more speed and power and trying to take it to another level. But, as I get older, I find I’m relying more on experience and making adjustments as I go. I can slow the race down in my mind, and figure out what I need to do to fix the weak spots.”
He said even in the off-season, he’s focused on bringing out the best in his equine athletes.
“I love breaking in new horses,” he said. “Finding the place in the team where they fit the best. Some horses are leaders (the forward pair), and others are better wheelers (the pair nearest the wagon).”
Ethier said the popularity of chuckwagon racing is on the upswing after going through a few years of declining interst.
“The fan base is big in western Canada,” he said. “That’s where most of the racing happens.”
The CPCA and World Professional Chuckwagon Association are the thoroughbred circuits in Canada; while five pony chuckwagon associations are active in Saskatchewan and Alberta.
In the United States, thoroughbred chuckwagon racing culminates in the USA national championship in Clinton, Arkansas every fall.