Local Todd Baptiste will be among those competing within the CPCA ranks this summer. (Submitted photo/Carolin McKenzie)
Chuckwagon season schedule

CPCA moves season start from Battlefords to Poundmaker this month

Jun 9, 2021 | 5:17 PM

The Canadian Professional Chuckwagon Association (CPCA) has announced some further changes to their summer tour schedule, shifting the location of this season’s starting point from North Battleford to nearby Poundmaker instead, June 24-27.

CPCA representative, Kim Carey said the change came about as a way to allow more spectators to attend the event within the COVID guidelines, due to the extra space available around the track at Poundmaker.

“With the restrictions in Phase 2—which is when we would go to the Battlefords show—it would only allow for 150 people in the stands and there’s not enough room around the track there where we could park (additional) spectators,” she said.

“Out at Poundmaker—while we’d still only be allowed 150 in the stands—there’s also a bunch of room around the track we could park people, and as long as they remain within their vehicle, they’re considered their own cohort; so we moved it out to Poundmaker just to allow for more fans to be able to come.”

Also among the changes announced this week is the rescheduling of the North American Chuckwagon Championship (NACC). A part of the larger season schedule, the event was moved from July 9-17 back two days to July 11-19.

(Twitter/CPCA Chucks)

“Again, that change was just due to better adapt to restrictions,” Carey said. “Those couple of days [could] be the difference between having 150 people in the stands as part of Stage 2, to potentially things being wide open with the shift to Phase 3.”

Carey said while making multiple changes to the schedule has made it difficult to gain sponsors and plan with certainty, the CPCA as an organization is also reliant on ticket sales and attendance to sustain themselves financially, something that’s been unavailable since summer 2019.

“The Association has been going on no-income since August of 2019, because we make our income through sponsorship and through shows, and unfortunately we haven’t been able to do either [since then],” she said.

“Normally the stands are packed and we still have people in their vehicles watching, and I feel, like this year especially, people need that something to look forward to,” Carey continued. “So I think people are looking forward to getting out and being able to watch with their friends and family, and we look forward to seeing another good turnout again this year.”

For a full up-to-date schedule of the CPCA, visit the organization’s website.

Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1

View Comments