Where we started and where we are going

5Land Miniature Racing officially entered its first race in August 2025; however, its roots trace back many years to central Alberta.

Growing up in Westerose, Alberta, I was introduced to the sport of chuckwagon racing at a very young age. Early memories include watching pony chuckwagons and chariot races at the Buck Lake Stampede, where friendly wagers—often just a quarter—added to the excitement. With neighbors and family friends competing in thoroughbred chuckwagon racing through the WPCA at events like the Ponoka Stampede, and watching the Rangeland Derby in Calgary on television, my passion for the sport began to take shape.

In 2016, I attended my first miniature chuckwagon race and was immediately captivated. By the summer of 2017, I had the opportunity to become involved as a sponsor at local events throughout central Alberta. The following year, in August 2018, we traveled to Armstrong, British Columbia, to attend the Interior Provincial Exhibition and Stampede—one of the largest miniature chuckwagon events in the world—where we watched the sport performed at an elite level.

The COVID-19 pandemic temporarily slowed chuckwagon racing across all levels, from thoroughbreds to ponies to miniature teams. As events gradually resumed, so did the momentum of the sport.

While continuing to be involved at the professional level with the WPCA, I developed a strong desire to step into the driver’s seat. In the winter of 2024, an opportunity arose to acquire my own miniature chuckwagon team. By the spring of 2025, I had assembled a team of four miniature horses, along with a wagon and the necessary equipment to begin competing.

In August 2025, I joined the Wildrose Mini Chuckwagon Association and competed in my first race as a driver.

Today, in 2026, 5Land Miniature Racing has grown to include 15 miniature horses, three wagons, and three generations of one family actively involved in driving and racing. Our focus remains firmly on the future—measuring success not by looking back, but by the distance ahead and the dust left behind.