Another Sutherland brings chuckwagon wares to Stampede Canvas Auction

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Ever since he received the decision final fall that he was invited to compete on the 2024 Cowboys Rangeland Derby, Dayton Sutherland has had April 11 marked on his calendar.

The up-and-coming World Skilled Chuckwagon Affiliation driver has been eagerly anticipating collaborating within the 2024 Calgary Stampede Canvas Public sale on Thursday night time on the Massive 4 Roadhouse.

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“I’m actually wanting ahead to it,” stated the 26-year-old third-generation chuckwagon driver, who initially hails from Grande Prairie however at present resides in De Winton, Alta. “I’m positive there’ll be numerous folks there. I’ve heard that there’s going to be tons of bidders, a file quantity.

“It’s at all times a great gauge of the economic system or appears to be a relative gauge of the economic system, so it’ll be attention-grabbing.”

Additionally up for public sale would be the likes of 2023 Cowboys Rangeland Derby champion Layne MacGillivray and 2023 WPCA world champion driver Chanse Vigen, in addition to runner-up Jamie Laboucane, amongst different high-profile drivers.

“I’m excited to see the place we find yourself or who we find yourself with,” stated Sutherland, who’s hoping he attracts curiosity from the businesses and teams vying for the unique alternative to promote on a chuckwagon canvas in the course of the 2024 Stampede. “It’s at all times thrilling growing a brand new partnership, particularly of that scale. That’s a part of the explanation why a man desires to go to Calgary. It’s actually for the sponsorship alternatives that make it sustainable to compete year-round.”

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Sutherland will likely be certainly one of three rookie Albertans on the public sale card at this 12 months’s occasion. The others are 32-year-old reinsman Probability Flad, of Arrowwood, and 36-year-old driver Probability Thomson, of Buck Creek.

“These guys are actually, actually aggressive wagons,” stated Sutherland, whereas noting that each of the Possibilities seemingly improved the horsepower of their barns — simply as he did — over the low season with a view to be as aggressive as potential. “I’m positive they’ll be very aggressive, and I’m completely happy for these guys, as effectively.

“They’ve most likely made a few of the similar monetary selections I made. I’m positive they used a few of the cash that they’re going to make throughout Stampede this 12 months already to bolster their barns, as effectively. As quickly as you make Stampede, the very first thing a man ought to do is ensure that he stays there. They’ll be powerful.”

Loads of Sutherland assist for the rookie

A scholar of the game of chuckwagon racing, Sutherland likes to suppose he’s picked up sufficient driving ideas from his grandpa, Kelly — a 12-time Rangeland Derby champion — in addition to from his dad, Mark, who retired following final 12 months’s Stampede. As well as, he’s studied the likes of fellow rivals Kurt Bensmiller, a four-time Derby champ, and Jason Glass, a perennial contender who lastly gained all of it in Calgary in 2013, 4 years earlier than Sutherland was named the WPCA’s Prime Rookie Driver.

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“I’ve paid a whole lot of consideration to guys like Glass and Bensmiller and my grandpa and my dad, and I feel I do know what it takes to win,” stated Sutherland, who completed twenty second within the WPCA driver standings final season. “I don’t suppose I’ve the very same horsepower as the remainder of the fellows, however I feel if I get a pair extra items, I’ll be proper there. It’s largely simply consistency and giving your self a possibility to win and to get fortunate within the sprint. I’m at all times overly optimistic. I at all times go in pondering that I can win. It hasn’t essentially occurred but, however hopefully that is the 12 months that it lastly turns round.”

Sutherland is anticipating that his dad will likely be round serving to out in the course of the Stampede and that his grandpa is at all times just one cellphone name away if he wants recommendation.

“I name him from time to time,” he stated. “He says I don’t name sufficient and ask sufficient questions. Grandpa’s one of many guys that … monkey see, monkey do. That’s form of the way you be taught from grandpa, I discover. I spent a whole lot of time, after I was a child rising up, watching him and hanging out with him and speaking to him day by day.”

He’ll additionally have the ability to depend on help from his nice uncle, Kirk, and cousin Mitch, who each nonetheless compete on the WPCA Professional Tour and will likely be on the Calgary Stampede, as effectively.

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“These are most likely the fellows that I hang around with probably the most on the circuit is Mitch and Kirk,” stated the youngest Sutherland reinsman. “I used to work for them, and we cling fairly intently, so I’m excited to be again there. Dad’s not there clearly, however uncle and Mitch are nonetheless there. I’m unsure if this will likely be uncle’s final 12 months or not, nevertheless it’ll be good to at the least race there when he’s nonetheless there.”

Sutherland ‘actually excited’

Thursday’s canvas public sale is only one step alongside the best way to Sutherland’s final objective of lastly competing on the Rangeland Derby. His plan is to have his outfits peaking to be prepared for that first Friday night time of competitors and proper on via the ten days of racing motion on the Calgary Stampede from July 5-14.

“I’m actually excited for that half,” added Sutherland, who will do his greatest to make his sponsor proud. “I actually, actually benefit from the rigidity and the nerves that construct as much as it.

“I actually do love the competitors facet of it, and I really like the horses — the best way that they get when the stakes rise. They will sense all that stuff. They will positively really feel the strain themselves, so for us, I feel that’s a optimistic. We’ve principally been interested by these 10 days and that first night time since we received the invite within the fall, so I couldn’t be extra excited.”

2024 Cowboys Rangeland Derby drivers

Todd Baptiste

Kurt Bensmiller

Probability Bensmiller

Rae Croteau Jr

Troy Dorchester

Dallas Dyck

Preston Devoted

Chad Fike

Jordie Fike

Darcy Flad

Probability Flad

Jason Glass

Doug Irvine

Ross Knight

Jamie Laboucane

Layne MacGillivray

Kris Molle

Obrey Motowylo

Cody Ridsdale

Danny Ringuette

Evan Salmond

Wade Salmond

Mitch Sutherland

Kirk Sutherland

Dayton Sutherland

Probability Thomson

Chanse Vigen

101 (demonstration) drivers

Ryan Baptiste

Layne Flad

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