The afternoon is winding down and I’m having some beers inthe lounge car of the Vancouver to Whistler Alberta train with country starAaron lines, Chuck wagon driver Kurt Bensmiller, and Bull Riding champ Tyelliot.
In case you don’t know, Chuck wagon racing is the big eventat the Calgary stampede. You couldsay the venue is the Olympics of Chuck Wagon, with a million dollar purse upfor grabs. This ain’t CanadianTire money. Within the sport are afew family dynasties. TheBensmillers are one such family. “My mom cooks for all four camps. My dad, myself and two brothers. We’re all married now too, so every day we all congregate as a familyand have meals together.”
The Bensmillers definitely have a competitive spirit, andare taking the Alberta train to the games for three days. “it’s funny,” says Bensmiller. “People come up to me and Ty and sayhow crazy our sport is, but we were at the luge today and we think they’reinsane. Then there’s the skeletonwhich is even worse.”
Like being at the Canadian finals rodeo, Ty notes how thegames have, “a similar atmosphere you can’t get on television. The best part is the people and beingin the crowd watching, even though you can’t see the whole event.” They both agree the Alberta train is,“the only way to travel as everything’s at your fingertips, you can move aroundand meet people in a familiar Alberta setting.” As crazy as their sport is, if they could pick any sport todo outside of hockey, they’d be in the snowboard halfpipe.
Ty, Kurt, and Aaron are great of examples ofwhat makes Alberta, the train, and the games great: the people.
In case you don’t know, Chuck wagon racing is the big eventat the Calgary stampede. You couldsay the venue is the Olympics of Chuck Wagon, with a million dollar purse upfor grabs. This ain’t CanadianTire money. Within the sport are afew family dynasties. TheBensmillers are one such family. “My mom cooks for all four camps. My dad, myself and two brothers. We’re all married now too, so every day we all congregate as a familyand have meals together.”
The Bensmillers definitely have a competitive spirit, andare taking the Alberta train to the games for three days. “it’s funny,” says Bensmiller. “People come up to me and Ty and sayhow crazy our sport is, but we were at the luge today and we think they’reinsane. Then there’s the skeletonwhich is even worse.”
Like being at the Canadian finals rodeo, Ty notes how thegames have, “a similar atmosphere you can’t get on television. The best part is the people and beingin the crowd watching, even though you can’t see the whole event.” They both agree the Alberta train is,“the only way to travel as everything’s at your fingertips, you can move aroundand meet people in a familiar Alberta setting.” As crazy as their sport is, if they could pick any sport todo outside of hockey, they’d be in the snowboard halfpipe.
Ty, Kurt, and Aaron are great of examples ofwhat makes Alberta, the train, and the games great: the people.
