After pulling down a cool $130,000 at the Calgary Stampede Rangeland Derby tarp auction last month, Cremona’s Jordie Fike has taken in another $60,000 for the World Professional Chuckwagon Association (WPCA) season.
Eagle Builders and PenWest Exploration are both back on board for another season with Fike’s outfit, combining to spend $60,000 at the WPCA tarp auction April 9 at Calgary’s Deerfoot Casino.
“It went excellent for me. It’s the best year I’ve had so far, as far as grand total for the year,” said Fike, who helped his cause by climbing the WPCA standings last season. His tarp was the 11th up at auction, and Eagle and PenWest were both ready with their cheque books.
“It’s excellent to have those guys. They’ve been there from the start when I was selling 25th and 35th in the sale. And now I’m finally climbing a little bit.”
Now it’s down to business. All the recent snow hasn’t slowed Fike’s race preparations. He’s working his horses into shape in High River, hitching teams to a truck specially designed for wagon-horse training.
“I’ve trained the last two days in the snow. The ground is soft enough underneath it so I can still truck-train them. As long as the truck holds traction, the horses are getting a hold of it nicely. It’s a nice cushion for them.”
But there’s no cushion for Fike once WPCA racing begins May 29 in Grande Prairie.
“You’ve got to have some success so people know who you are,” he stated. “If you just keep running slow year after year, they’re not going to put a name to you.
“Of course, you want to do well for your sponsors because they get behind you regardless of your performance. But you want to perform for them as well, as kind of a thank-you.”
