The All Pro Chuckwagon and Chariot championship finals kicked up a dust storm in Saddle Lake on the weekend. After the dust had settled, Saskatchewan’s Wade Salmond won first in chuckwagons with a three-day aggregate time of 3:45.57.
Saddle Lake’s Keith Wood came in second a fraction of a second behind Salmond with 3:45.81 in aggregate time. Wood said perfect weather and track conditions over the weekend helped him to his second place finish on home turf in the final competition of the year.
“We all have goals. We like to go faster,” Wood said, reflecting on the 2011 racing season.
Lee Adamson came in third at 3:47.65. Camrose’s Adam Hansen earned fourth with 3:48.30 and Mayerthorpe’s Chris Spreen took fifth with 3:49.06. Spreen also came in fifth in chariots.
The finals were scheduled for Heart Lake but were moved to Saddle Lake due to track conditions, Wood said.
Saddle Lake’s Brian Cardinal finished seventh overall with an aggregate only a few second shy of the top time. While his heat times went not bad, his horses have been getting tired out toward the end of the season, Cardinal commented after the races.
Wilfred Whiskeyjack and family members, also of Saddle Lake, ran in chuckwagons and chariots. While a good weekend, a few “barrels got in the way,” said Whiskeyjack. Wilfred finished in 36th place overall and Albert Whiskeyjack came in 43rd in chuckwagons.
In chariots, Len Campbell won first with an aggregate of 3:42.76, followed not far behind by Tyler Whiskeyjack at 3:43.59. Larry Myer took third and Louis Johner fourth.
