Before chuckwagon drivers take to the track and hear the roar of the crowd at the Rangeland Derby, the real preparation is already underway in the barns. Long before the starting horn sounds, drivers are focused on getting themselves and their horses ready to race. For many, that preparation includes rituals and superstitions they have followed for years — routines they believe help set the stage for a successful run.
Horse Baths and Left Wraps
For most drivers, those traditions begin with their horses before they even leave the barn. Driver Jordie Fike explained his method: “Just make sure the horses know that they’re going. I give them all a bath about three hours before they race, tie them up, and that way they know they got the call that night and they can mentally prepare too.”
Chance Bensmiller, a fourth-generation driver, carries a tradition from hockey to the stables. “I played hockey my whole life, so every time I wrap my horses, I have to do the left wrap before I do the right one — same as me, you know, always put my left skate on before my right one. But once you get the horses ready, you kind of just let them do their thing. When you start harnessing, they know it’s time to go,” said Bensmiller.
Visualization and Mindset
Dustin Gorst, making his fifth Calgary Stampede appearance as a driver after earning Top Rookie Driver honours in 2017, relies on visualization. “The biggest one is the last time I drove that outfit or the last two times I drove that outfit. I re-watch the videos over and over again, so I have in my mind what they’re going to do and what I expect them to do,” said Gorst.
Jamie Laboucane, off to a strong start at this year’s Rangeland Derby with his sights set on Sunday’s Dash for Cash after posting the fastest times on Days 1 and 4, takes a different approach. “I always wish everybody good luck before I go on the track. As soon as I get on the track, I look at my wife and I say, ‘Let’s go have some fun.’ That’s kind of how I get my mind right before I get onto the track,” said Laboucane.
Clearing the Mind
Chanse Vigen, last year’s Rangeland Derby winner, is often seen walking around the track a few hours before the races begin, using the time to clear his mind and block out distractions.
Unusual Superstitions
Others on the circuit have superstitions that might leave their fellow drivers shaking their heads. Gorst may have some of the more unusual pre-race rituals on the chuckwagon circuit. After some convincing, he revealed one of the stranger things he does before climbing into the wagon. “I gotta brush my teeth. If I eat something before I drive, I gotta go back to the camper and I gotta brush my teeth. I don’t know if it’s because I’m hollering or what it is, but I gotta brush my teeth. I brush my teeth four or five times a day, but before I jump in there, I gotta brush my teeth. I don’t know why,” said a reluctant Gorst.
