The dust has settled on the season opener for the 2024 Canadian Professional Chuckwagon Association (CPCA) tour, and Logan Gorst of Meadow Lake continues to prove why he’s one of the best. Gorst started the season hot with three day money runs in Poundmaker, SK, an aggregate championship and a dash for cash win. The races took place June 6-9. “It feels pretty good,” Gorst said of his win. “I sold a few of the older horses in the fall, and got some new ones in the races. They seem to be working pretty good.” In the dash for cash, Kris Flanagan of Meadow Lake came off the number one barrel and Danny Ringuette of Bonnyville, AB off the number two, chasing Gorst from the inside for a photo finish, but it was Gorst who took it by a nose.

“It all depends on horsepower and what you’ve got,” Gorst continued. “I don’t know what it is, but these horses really like the Poundmaker track. Every time I come here, they seem to run really tough. We ended up with three day money wins and one second, so it’s looking promising so far. But, it’s early in the season yet.” Gorst finished first in the aggregate, securing a three-day overall time of 3:45.84. Ringuette was second with an aggregate time of 3:48.54 followed by Flanagan at 3:52.54, Meadow Lake’s DJ King at 3:53.34 and Kelly Morin of Morin Lake, SK rounded out the top five at 3:55.33. Meadow Lake’s Calvin Fiddler was sixth at 3:55.50, Colby Stanley of Meadow Lake was eighth at 3:57.06, Randall Stanley of Meadow Lake was 10th at 3:59.89 and Meadow Lake’s Jonathan Blatz was 15th with an aggregate time of 4:04.23.

Meanwhile, this season also marks the first year the CPCA will not be making a stop in Meadow Lake following the decommissioning of the Meadow Lake Stampede Grounds and chuckwagon race track. Gorst, however, said the local support remains strong. “Any time I do well, the phone is going off with lots of texts and lots of calls,” he noted. “I’ve always had a lot of support from the local community… It’s a rodeo and chuckwagon town, and a lot of people still follow the races – a lot more than you would think.” The next stop on the CPCA tour is in Cold Lake, AB for three days of racing starting tomorrow (June 14) and continuing through Sunday (June 16). “I just need to keep the horses sound and feeling good, and hopefully they keep doing what they’re doing,” Gorst said.