Allan Bensmiller
Allan started racing Chuckwagons in the early 1950s. Of course back then it was mostly on grass in the middle of a field. Some of the first races he competed in were Black Horse Lake as well as the Green Lawn Old Timers Picnic.

Allan raced for many years and was known as one of the first drivers to have an outfit of all Thoroughbred horses in a time when many were still driving saddle horses. A true horseman, Allan broke and sold a lot of his horses to other drivers. All an was one of the original founding members of the Northern Chuckwagon Association, which later became the Canadian Professional Chuckwagon Association.

Allan won almost every show he competed in, as a matter of face – one year he won every show that he went to.

In 1979 at the Calgary Stampede Buddy had horse trouble and Allan stepped up and lent Buddy his lead team. On the final night Allan and Buddy ran against each other in the dash- Buddy won, but Allan’s generosity will never be forgotten.

The Bensmiller living room was stacked high with trophies and awards from his many accomplishments that we do not have enough time to mention. Allan passed on his love for horses to his son Buddy and was instrumental in Buddy’s success as a driver as he and Buddy spent a lot of hours training horses together. A genuine person whose word was better than a contract, Allan would be proud to be acknowledged along with his sons and grandsons.

Bruce Craige
Bruce began his chuckwagon career as an outrider for Allen Bensmiller at 20 years old. In 1979, he made the transition to driver and stayed in the CPCA circuit until his retirement in 1987. In 1980 Bruce was invited to Calgary as a replacement driver for Wendell Erismen. In1981, Brice earned his own spot in the Stampede sponsored by Century 21, and became the first rookie Champion. Throughout the years, Bruce sold out almost his entire team a couple times in order to rebuild. From 1981 – 1987 he earned a spot in Calgary and travelled to Cheyenne to race each year.

Buddy Bensmiller
Buddy started his Chuckwagon career outriding for his father inthe late 60’s and then moved onto driving chariots and Chuckwagons.
Buddy has to his credit:

• 8 NPCA Championships
• 9 Cheyenne Wyoming Championships
• 3 Calgary Stampede Championships
• 3 Calgary Stampede Aggregate Championships
• 2 World Championships
• 2 Ponoka StampedeChampionships
• 4 Clean Drive Awards

Buddy has won numerous shows, too many to mention. He is very proud of being inducted in to the Cheyenne Wyoming Hall of Fame. Calgary honoured him with the Guy Weadick award and Ponoka honoured him with the Bill Hehler award. Buddy also won many outriding awards including outriding for Bruce Craige when he won the Calgary Stampede.

Following in his father’s footsteps Buddy has been an ambassador for Chuckwagon Racing and has always done his best to promote the sport. All of Buddy’s Children are involved in Chuckwagon Racing in one form or another and it is a great honour to him that they have also represented the Bensmiller Family and the Village of Dewberry with pride.

Buddy retired from active racing in 2012 but still remains very busy helping the boys train each spring and he also took a position with the WPCA this year as arena director and race track advisor. Through the years many people that started as sponsors, outriders and helpers have all become lifelong friends.

In closing Buddy would like to acknowledge everyone that ever had anything to do with his success- it takes a village of people and surrounding communities to support you to make your accomplishments more meaningful. Buddy has always been proud to say he is from Dewberry. It has been a great ride!

Chance Bensmiller
Chance Bensmiller is the youngest son of Buddy and has been around horses all his life. Chance started outriding when he was 15 and driving when he was 16. Chance shoes his own horses and is on the CPCA board of directors.
Major awards Chance has won:

• 2003 Champion Outrider behind his dad at the Calgary Stampede
• 2006 WPCA Top Rookie Driver
• 2008 Dawson Creek Champion and most Improved Driver Award
• 2011 Equine Outfit of Excellence horse- Kodan (Champion Outriding Horse)
• 2012 North Battleford Champion
• 2013 Wainwright Champion
• 2014 Colonial Days Fair Champion

Chance along with Kurt, David and Buddy spend most of the spring training horses to drive and outride. Chance’s most memorable moment is outriding with David and Kurt behind Buddy at the Calgary Stampede. The most amazing race was when he actually got to race against buddy.

Dallas Dyck
2003 was a major year in the life of Dallas Dyck. This was the year he married the love of his life, Lexi; left Loon Lake to make Dewberry his new home; and began his career as a chuckwagon driver. Like many before him, Dallas didn’t just jump into driving, he got his start in the sport of chuckwagons as an outrider. His rookie year of outriding was 1997.

Riding for many of the greats, Dallas started winning himself some show championships. In 2012, he was the champion outrider for the shows of Wainwright, Meadow Lake, Lloydminster, and Dewberry. He won Dewberry again in 2013. In 2014, he found another outriding title behind Chance Bensmiller for the Lloydminster Colonial Days.

Success continued once Dallas decided to pick up the lines. At the end of the 2014 season, Dallas found himself in the 8th position for the CPCA standings and finished 2nd in the CPCA Safe Driver Standings. With his 8th place finish, Dallas had secured himself a spot for the Calgary Stampede Rangeland Derby. 2015 was his Calgary debut and also a consecutive 8th place finish in the CPCA standings.

Dallas looks forward to his 2016 season with the love and support of his wife and two kids, Tia and Wyatt, and hopes to continue his chuckwagon success!

David Bensmiller
Dave is the eldest of the three Bensmiller brothers, He started outriding when he was 16 years old but wasn’t ready to compete behind Buddy just yet, so he started as a hired hand with Ross Knight riding in the CPCA whenever possible. David’s rookie year as a driver was in 2004 with the WPCA Pro Tour he raced wagons for 6 years until 2009. Some of his awards are:

• 2001: Ponoka Stampede Champion Outrider, Rod Glass Memorial Award (Most Improved Outrider)
• 2003: Calgary Stampede Rangeland Derby Champion Outrider, Ponoka Stampede Champion Outrider
• 2004: Calgary Stampede Rangeland Derby Champion Outrider, Rod Glass Memorial Award (Most Improved Outrider)
• 2005: WPCA Most Improved Outfit Award
• 2006: Ponoka Stampede Champion Outrider, Orville Strandquist Award (Calgary Stampede Top Rookie Driver)
• 2007: Ponoka Stampede Champion Outrider
• 2009: Calgary Stampede Aggregate Champion Outrider

David won 30 plus shows as an outrider with many great drivers such as Reg, Rick, Jerry and Kelly but of his wins the most memorable one was the back to back wins in 2003 at the Panoka Stampede and Calgary Stampede behind his Dad BUDDY!!!
Wagon racing has opened up a lot of doors for David he travelled to New Zealand to work at a thoroughbred racing stable, he journeyed through Western Canada with Monty Roberts AKA the Horse whisper, and has been fortunate enough to work on many several western movies over the years. In 2009 his Calgary sponsor offered him a full time job in the oil industry in which he couldn’t pass up. Over the years many sponsor have turned into employers, business partners and many long time friends.
In 2015 after not competing for 5 years David had way to much fun spring training with his brothers and decide to jump back in the saddle to compete as an outrider on the CPCA circuit, as it allowed him the flexibility to continue working close to home. He won the Wainright Dash and the Lloyminster Tour Champion, behind Wayne Knight, But most importantly He achieved his goal of the season by winning the Randy Evens Memorial Award for High Points Outrider.
As a committee member himself, David would like to acknowledge and thank all the hard work and long hours that community members and supporters put into pulling of great shows because doing what he loves is always made easier by the support of family and community.

Harvey Brown

Harvey put together his first outfit in 1972 which Bruce Bremner drove for 2 years. In 1979 he bought some thoroughbreds and started driving himself. A few of his outriders were Eddie Wills, Richard Hewitt, Alec Brind, and Larry Stafford. Some of his barn help was nephew Kevin Wenger and Alec Brind.

Some of the places that Harvey raced where they don’t race anymore were Big River, Maidstone, Spiritwood, Lac La Biche, Pierceland, Loon River and Winter Sask.

He drove until 1984 when he lost his favourite lead horse. Throughout the years he outrode and won some best dressed trophies.

A lot of fun was had around the campfire during those years.

Kurt Bensmiller
Kurt began his racing career in 1999. In 2002 he won the Orville Stranquist award. Since then he has added the Battle of the North, Capital Ex Chuckwagon Derby, Strathmore Heritage Days, 2 clean drive awards, Ponoka Stampede, Calgary Stampede Aggregate as well as back to back Calgary Stampede dash for cash’s. In 2015 Kurt topped this all off with the World Professional Chuckwagon Association Championship title.

Rick Rainey
1979- Started out by helping Bruce Craig. By 1980 put his own outfit together.

Races were held at Grand Centre, Loon Lake, Bonnyville, Dewberry, Wainwright, North Battleford, Meadow Lake, Turtleford, Spirit Wood, Saddle Lake, Coronation Pierceland, Westlock, Lloydminster.

• 1983 – Raced at Calgary, Behr Stains sponsor.
• 1984 – Calgary, Multi-Wear sponsor
• 1986 – Calgary, Konica Snap Shops sponsor
• 1989 – Calgary, Burns Meats sponsor
• 1989 – Travelled on to Cheyenne, Wyoming and Casper, Wyoming

Made lots of friends and memories.

Vern Nolin
Vern’s father was a wagon driver so it was natural for him to become one also. Vern started driving chariots when he was 14, then went on to driving pony wagons when he was 16 and then moved to big wagons at the age of 27.
Vern has accomplished many great things during his career and here are a few highlights:

• 4x Canadian Champion
• 2x Meadow Lake Champion
• 3x Wainwright Champion
• 5x Dewberry Champion
• 2009 Yorkton & St Walburg Champion
• 2012 Winning the Lloydminster show, the High Point and Canadian Championship- this was the first time a driver had accomplished this and Vern became a triple crown winner
• 2015 Vern qualified for the final four championship dash at the Calgary Stampede

Vern is known for having a unique barn of all bay horses. Vern was born and raised in Rapid View, Saskatchewan and in 2013 he moved to Dewberry with his companion Lisa and their children Brett 20, Brendan, 18, Cruise 12, Paynton 11, August 8, Sienna 6, and Madelyn 6 months, they have built a new barn for their horses and are in the process of building a new house.

Vern is very proud to call Dewberry home!

Warren Garnier
I started my first race in Dewberry in1985.
I drove about 15 races, and it was a very exciting and enjoyable time!
I could only think that flying a fighter jet could be as close and exciting as being in the seat when the horn goes to start the race!
The many people that I met, and the help from the great horse men was a very good learning experience!
And to work with the greatest of all the thoroughbred race horse!
And to see chuckwagon racing go to the level that is set today!
Thank you!

Bruce Brock- long time track announcer
I started calling the races at the Greenlawn Old Timers picnic, north of Dewberry in approximately 1976. It was the NPCA (Northern Professional Chuckwagon Association) in those days. The Dewberry Ag Society held their first races there. Then I called the races at Dewberry Sports Grounds for approximately 30 years until retirement in 2006. I have called races at Unity, Lloydminster finals, Vermilion, St.Walburg, Turtleford, Cold Lake and others. I called many rodeos as far north as High Level.
The highlight of my announcing career was being invited to call the first CPCA finals in Lloydminster and the WPCA runoff in Dewberry in 1999 and 2000. Kurt Bensmiller entered the qualification races and became a WPCA member in 1999. I had the privilege of calling that race. Now he is our 2 time Calgary Champion. I enjoyed ever minute announcing every race.