John Down, a journalist who covered chuckwagon racing for the Calgary Herald and Sun for more than three decades, was inducted into the Calgary Stampede Hall of Fame on Friday. He was joined by chuckwagon driver Norm Cuthbertson, bareback rider Davey Shields Jr., and legendary bucking horse Grated Coconut.
John Down's Journey into Chuckwagon Racing
Down began writing about chuckwagon racing for the Calgary Herald in the late 1970s, admitting he was initially out of his element. "I didn’t know a damn thing about it when I started, but I had very good mentors in guys like George Normand, Buddy Bensmiller and Dale Gray, a seasoned outrider," Down said. "They started setting me on the right path to understand what this crazy sport was all about."
Inducted in the builder category, Down called the honour "beyond belief." He retired in 2014 after providing coverage for both the Herald and the Sun from 1983 to 2000, as well as commentary for the Chuckwagon Racing Network.
Memorable Moments from Down's Career
One of Down's favorite memories was documenting Bensmiller's victory at the Stampede in 1989. "The one I enjoyed quite a bit was the year that Buddy Bensmiller beat his best buddy George Normand by 6/100ths of a second," Down recalled. "That final night, it was Buddy in the lead and George coming hard down the stretch and, at the wire, you didn’t know who got it, but it was Buddy by 6/100ths."
Down also covered the final two of Kelly Sutherland's record 12 Rangeland Derby titles, in 2010 and 2011. "I got to write about eight of his 12 wins," Down said. "Kelly was always good for a story. He always had something to say."
Norm Cuthbertson's Induction
Norm Cuthbertson, who won three straight Richard Cosgrave Memorial Awards as the Rangeland Derby's aggregate champion from 2002 to 2004, was also inducted. Despite never winning the Rangeland Derby title, Cuthbertson was recognized for his consistent performance. "There’s a guy who probably should have won at least one, but he won all these trucks all the time in these other shows," Down said. "Super guy to be around."
Cuthbertson recalled a near-win in 2003 when he crossed the line first but was penalized for having two late outriders, giving the win to Bensmiller. "I outrode lots, so I know stuff happens," Cuthbertson said. "As a kid growing up, driving, outriding and stuff, you always dream about something like this, but for it to come true is pretty amazing."
Other Inductees: Davey Shields Jr. and Grated Coconut
Bareback rider Davey Shields Jr. and legendary bucking horse Grated Coconut were also inducted into the Hall of Fame, which was previously known as Pioneers of Rodeo.
