Todd Baptiste steering his chuckwagon around a corner. He'll represent the Baptiste Chuckwagon Racing Team at this year's Calgary Stampede. (Photo submitted/Mike Baptiste)

By Nick Nielsen

Runs in the family

Baptiste Chuckwagon Racing Team getting set for Calgary Stampede

Jun 29, 2025 | 5:51 PM

For the Baptiste family out of Cando and Red Pheasant First Nation, chuckwagon racing has been a part of their lives from the moment they stepped foot on to the earth. Now, the Baptiste Chuckwagon Racing Team is preparing for the Calgary Stampede for another year, an event that’s meant a lot to their family.

This year, the driver is going to be Todd Baptiste for the Stampede, who is currently ranked 31st in the World Professional Chuckwagon Association rankings. His brother Ryan is ranked 36th in those same rankings, but Ryan is currently ranked first in the Canadian Professional Chuckwagon Association (CPCA) rankings.

For Todd, having his brother as someone to both train and compete against has helped them both grow in the sport.

“It’s family until you hit the track, there’s no friends on the track basically, right? But not in any terms of not being safe because I mean overall, everybody’s out there to do their best.”

Todd and Ryan are part of the third generation of chuckwagon racers in their family. Their uncle Edgar was a legend in the sport who started in 1977, and went on to win multiple championships throughout his career. Todd’s dad, Mike Sr., also raced in his day, and Todd’s younger brother Mike Jr. also helps with their horse team’s training throughout the year.

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Edgar Baptiste was the champion of the 1996 Calgary Stampede Chuckwagon races, and was the poster racer for the 1991 Calgary Stampede. (Facebook/Baptiste Chuckwagon Racing Team)

What the Baptiste Chuckwagon Racing Team has been able to build through their family is a big point of pride for Todd, and one that he hopes continues to grow as the years go by.

“We’re following footsteps behind them. I’d be third generation by now, and hopefully we got another four or five coming along. It’s always a family oriented kind of sport, basically all drivers start up and it costs a lot to be able to operate and buy horses, and (to not take out a) loan to start up as a young guy and take the cost on and try to get a wagon outfit going. It’s nicer when you have the help and it’s always nicer to have the experience to be able to learn from often.”

The Calgary Stampede chuckwagon used to get their racers through a ranking system, but it’s been different for a few years now. Instead of using a ranking system like the one used by the CPCA, the Stampede is an invite only competition this season, and Baptiste is proud to hvae received an invite this year.

“It’s always a special time, and I’m very fortunate to get the invite with the new format they brought out a few years back so it’s not based on your performance, it’s based on the invitation. So there’s quite a few drivers that could get the invite and we’re just pleased to be able to be called back and be part of it again.”

A week out from the Calgary Stampede, and the Baptiste Chuckwagon Racing Team has their horses out at the Ponoka Stampede for one last tune-up competition before Calgary. While the horses are obviously pushed hard during their races, Todd believes that people don’t see all the care that goes into racing these animals and raising them up to their potential. They spend every day with their horses in an effort to make these horses as healthy as possible for their competitions.

Not only does training and caring for these animals on a day-to-day basis build a genuine connection between the racer and their team of horses, but the high pace of chuckwagon races allows both the horses and the racers brave enough to steer them a sense of the wild you won’t find any other way.

“It’s been a good life for a lot of us here and it’s taking us places where I think we wouldn’t be today. It’s a healthy lifestyle for people to be able to be part of and it’s something that they can look back and be able to experience and say they did it, and that’s the goal for us. To be able to sustain the sport the best way we can through the youth and through people that are looking at trying to get into the sport.”

The Calgary Stampede chuckwagon races start on Friday, 4, and races run every day of the Stampede until the finally on Sunday, July 13.