'Best feeling in the world': Chanse Vigen captures first Rangeland Derby title with 'rockstar' drive
Chanse Vigen did what he wasn't able to do last year and outraced Jason Glass across the finish line in the championship final heat of the 2025 Rangeland Derby presented by Play Alberta.
'I just feel like I've been working towards this my whole life,' said Vigen, who's originally from Grande Prairie, Alta., but now lives in Calgary with his wife Brie. 'I just feel so relieved.'
And how did it feel to add a bit more punch to the nickname that track announcer Les McIntyre gave him?
'I wasn't trying to rock anything,' said Vigen in regards to winning chuckwagon's ultimate prize in his fourth trip to the final heat. 'I just wanted to win the race and I've never wanted something so bad. It's the best feeling in the world. There's a lot of emotion running through me right now. It's the best night of my life.'
After finishing third one year ago, Vigen was able to execute a perfect figure-eight turn around the barrels in his VisitLethbridge.com wagon to secure his spot along the rail before racing around the Stampede Park track in 1:13.44 to beat Glass — the defending champion — and his Birchcliff Energy outfit across the line by 1.27 seconds.
In his first time competing in the Rangeland Derby final, Jamie Laboucane (Panorama Advisory Group) hit a barrel and wound up in third spot.
'You're never comfortable when you're hooked (with) Jason Glass and Jamie Laboucane,' said Vigen, who finished third in last year's final. 'They're the two fiercest competitors out there, probably not to take anything away from anybody. They're just so tough and consistent and loaded with horsepower, and it was a tough race. I don't know if there was a favourite to win the race tonight. Anybody could have won that race, and our horses just responded and answered the bell.'
Racing down the final stretch and hearing the roar of crowd at GMC Stadium was something Vigen will never forget.
'I saw my whole life flash before my eyes,' said Vigen, who looked back to make sure his outriders Rory Gervais and Ethan Motowylo were behind him, which they were. 'I knew we were going to win.'
Outrider Trey MacGillivray, who also worked with the VisitLethbridge.com team throughout the 10-day show, also accompanied Vigen to the stage to be honoured for his efforts.
Although he wasn't able to duplicate the success he had when he won his first Rangeland Derby title, Logan Gorst (International Petroleum Group) still won the Richard Cosgrave Memorial and Safety Award and a $30,000 bonus for finishing with the fastest cumulative time through 10 nights among drivers who didn't take a penalty.
Besides the $80,000 payout doled out in the final heat, an additional $78,200 was paid out to the other drivers on Sunday.
Aboard his STARS/De Havilland Aircraft of Canada rig, Wade Salmond finished his Stampede off strong with the fastest time of the night. Salmond recorded with a time of 1:13.18, the fastest of the first eight heats, to take home $6,000.
Rory Gervais won the Atco Outrider Award and a cheque for $2,000. Ethan Motowylo finished second, while his brother Hayden Motowylo placed third. Both won $1,000 … D.J. King won the Orville Strandquist Memorial rookie driver award and received an additional payday of $3,000 … Vigen, Laboucane and Glass all had horses win Equine Athlete of Excellence Awards. Vigen's right leader Junior and Laboucane's left leader 3Score were honoured for their excellence as was Glass's outriding horse. Chad Fike's left wheeler Bro and Obrey Motowylo's right wheeler Bugsy were also given awards as was Darcy Flad's outriding horse Wade.
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