 Chuckwagons racing toward the finish line at the 2009 Calgary Stampede | |
| Characteristics | |
|---|---|
| Type | Equestrian rodeo sport |
| Presence | |
| Olympic | No |
| Paralympic | No |
| World Games | No |
Chuckwagon racing is an equestrian rodeo sport in which drivers in a chuckwagon led by a team of Thoroughbred horses race around a track.
The sport is most popular in the Prairie Provinces of Canada, where the World Professional Chuckwagon Association and the Canadian Professional Chuckwagon Association are the two major racing circuits. The most famous chuckwagon race in the world is held annually at the Calgary Stampede, where the total prize money for the ten-day event tops C$2 million ($1.5 million USD). The WPCA submits 25 drivers to the Calgary Stampede, while the CPCA submits 11 drivers. The sport is controversial, as horses and drivers have been injured or died, prompting animal welfare groups to call for it to be banned.