The race for the 2026 Orville Strandquist Memorial Award intensified at the Calgary Stampede's Rangeland Derby on Thursday and Friday, with rookie drivers Layne Flad and Cruise Bensmiller trading positions in the aggregate standings. Bensmiller, a fifth-generation chuckwagon driver, holds a slight lead of 1.12 seconds over Flad after Friday's action.
Thursday's Shifts in the Standings
Heading into the seventh night of the Rangeland Derby presented by Play Alberta, Flad and his Bar L5 Ranch outfit sat seventh in the aggregate standings, leading Bensmiller's Steelhaus Tryton outfit by more than four seconds. Bensmiller, who made history this year as chuckwagon racing's first fifth-generation driver in Calgary, posted Thursday's fifth-fastest time of 1:11.66 to win the fourth heat, vaulting him from 12th to eighth in the standings.
Three heats later, Flad incurred a costly five-second wagon interference penalty, resulting in a time of 1:18.51 and dropping him to 13th overall. "Anything can happen in wagon racing and especially towards the end of the show when guys are really going for it," Flad said. "You can see a lot of changes in the leaderboard and I've just got to keep knocking on the door and be in there every night."
Friday's Comeback and Current Standings
Following Friday's frantic finishes, the fight for top rookie honours remains tight. Bensmiller placed third in Friday's fourth race with a time of 1:13.91, while Flad finished second three heats later in 1:12.22, pulling to within 1.12 seconds in the rookie race. Bensmiller dropped to ninth in the overall standings, five places ahead of Flad.
Ryan Baptiste (DH Ranch Foundation) is the third rookie driver at this year's Stampede, but penalty problems have put him out of contention for the award named after Orville Strandquist, whose professional career spanned seven decades.
Legacy of Orville Strandquist
Strandquist initially competed as a bull rider at the 1937 Calgary Stampede before turning to wagon racing. He competed as an outrider from 1937 to 1980 and as a driver from 1939 to 1994. The award honours his contributions to the sport.
Background of the Rookies
Flad served as a Chuckwagon 101 demonstration driver in 2024, while Bensmiller took on the same role at last year's Rangeland Derby. Both are up-and-coming drivers on the World Professional Chuckwagon Association circuit, showcasing their talents to massive crowds at GMC Stadium over the 10-day show in Calgary.
"Being the demo driver absolutely helped me to come here from everything from the barn tours just to getting on the grounds, the passes, all the little stuff you see behind the barns," Bensmiller said. "I think the horses will be good. It was nice to bring them here last year."
