NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
The Medicine Hat Exhibition & Stampede Chuckwagon Championship wrapped up four days of racing Sunday afternoon.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
Jamie Laboucane made quite an impression during his first weekend racing in Medicine Hat.
The St. Walburg, Sask. product was the winner of the four-day Medicine Hat Exhibition & Stampede Chuckwagon championships held this weekend at the Stampede grounds, hosted by the World Professional Chuckwagon association. He just joined the WPCA this season and already has his first win.
“I’ve just been trying to get the lay of the land to make my way into the circuit,” Laboucane said. “But to get a win so early into the season feels pretty darn good.”
Laboucane, representing Davco Industrial Construction Services, entered Sunday’s championship heat in second place, with Mark Sutherland of Dewington, Alta. in first and Codey McCurrach of Eckville, Alta. in third.
Entering the ‘dash for cash’ 13th heat Sunday in second place put Laboucane in the second barrel position.
He posted a run of 1:01.52, beating out Sutherland who selected barrel No. 1, by 53 one-hundreds of a second, with McCurrach placing third from barrel No. 3. Laboucanes’ championship-clinching run earned top money for the day by 17 one-hundreds of a second over Kris Molle, with Sutherland, Tuff Dreger and Chad Fike making out the top five fastest wagons on the afternoon. Laboucane’s run was also the fastest of the race meet.
He says there was a lot of strategy heading into the weekend with the WPCA’s packed schedule ahead.
“We have a big push coming up here with six days in Ponoka and then another 10 days in Calgary, so barn management is really key at this point of the season,” Laboucane said. “I wanted to lay off one of my good race leaders going into the show, so I went with my three four barrel right leader and put a new horse in on left wheel. They really popped in and worked better than I even expected. I knew once I got on the track they would have a lot of run with horses. So they didn’t disappoint and they ran around Mark pulled off the win.”
The WPCA Pro Tour presented moves into Ponoka for the Ponoka Stampede Championship starting on Tuesday. As he was leaving town, Laboucane had nothing but compliments for Medicine Hat fans and the track.
“The track was great, well maintained, good footing, really safe and the city was fantastic,” Laboucane said. “People were very excited to for us to be there. I had multiple people coming out thanking us for coming down and racing. The crowds at the races loved it, they were right into it, hooting and hollering, which makes a guy feel pretty good when he’s out there racing to get that kind of reception.”
Next up for the Medicine Hat Exhibition & Stampede is the annual Stampede, scheduled for July 26-29.
