The First Rangeland Derby 1923 

100 years ago the open range chuckwagon rumbled onto the Calgary Stampede racetrack. The 100th anniversary of chuckwagon racing in 2023! The old Open Range chuckwagon moves from being the cowboys' mobile kitchen for trail drives and roundups to a four horse racing vehicle on the Calgary Stampede racetrack. In 1923 Guy Weadick organized the very first Rangeland Derby with horses, cowhands and chuckwagons drawn from ranches all around the Calgary area. This unique and spectacular race helped Calgary differentiate itself from other rodeos and earn world wide attention. Even the first pancake breakfast, hosted by competitor Wildhorse Jack Morton, has become not just a Calgary, but a western Canadian tradition. The range and racing chuckwagon are a vital part of Calgary's western heritage: the place known world wide as the Stampede City.