FROG LAKE – Frog Lake First Nation was one of the busiest communities in the Lakeland this past week. The community not only hosted a large and colourful powwow, but also saw Canadian Professional Chuckwagon Association (CPCA) wagons hitting the beautiful Frog Lake track for four evenings and one late afternoon, as part of a show that also included pony chuckwagons, foot races for youngsters and adults and the excitement of the Indian Relay races.
The CPCA action got off to a roaring start on Wednesday evening, despite threatening clouds, with Frog Lake’s own Preston Faithful and his AMC wagon recording the night’s fastest time of 1:16.46, edging out Luke Tournier of Duck Lake, Sask. and his G-Force outfit with 1:16.86. Faithful has been driving the big wagons since 2018, after many years driving chariots and pony chucks, and finished the 2022 season in third spot, running in the Dash for Cash at the finals in Lloydminster, and had plenty of local fans to cheer him on.
Thursday’s races saw significantly slower times, with Tournier recording the top time of 1:21.08, to take top spot in the aggregate after two nights, just under two seconds ahead of Faithful, with Dallas Dyck of Dewberry in third and Danny Ringuette of Bonnyville sitting in fourth.
In the aggregate results, Luke Tournier came in first with a show total of 5:14.75. DJ King was in second place with a show total of 5:18.75, and Logan Gorst came in a close third with 5:18.91. In fourth place in the aggregate results was Preston Faithful just milliseconds behind with a time of 5:18.93.
Also just mere miliseconds away, Danny Ringuette would take the fifth spot in the aggregate scores with a time of 5:18.98. Dallas Dyck would sit in sixth place with a time of 5:20.68. A total of 26 competitors took part in the event, according to the aggregate scores.
With four race meets behind them in addition to the North American Chuckwagon Championship and the Calgary Stampede, the CPCA has just two more race meets, starting in Poundmaker, Sask. this week for a five-night run, and in nearby Little Pine, Sask. on the following weekend before the Lloydminster finals, Aug. 16 to 20, where the 2023 champion will be named.
