Jamie Laboucane leaves runner-up status in rearview by winning Night 3 of Rangeland Derby

Calgary Herald

07-07-2025

Jamie Laboucane was oh-so close to having the top time on the second night of the Rangeland Derby presented by Play Alberta.
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After finishing in a tie with Chanse Vigen on Saturday — just 1/100ths of a second behind Obrey Motowylo — Laboucane did one better on Sunday and was rewarded as the Hottest Heat of the Night winner.
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Off barrel No. 2 in the ninth heat aboard his Panorama Advisory Group chuckwagon, Laboucane completed the figure-eight pattern around the barrels cleanly and raced around the GMC Stadium track in Sunday's quickest clocking of 1:13.79.
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'I've just got to try to drive clean,' said Laboucane, who beat Vigen and his VisitLethbridge.com outfit by 44/100ths of a second for the quickest clocking of the evening. 'I know the horses are going to run for me. Honestly, I probably cut 'er a little bit too tight. I rolled that top barrel, but I got away lucky. Some other drivers didn't. It's a long 10 days, and sometimes you need a little luck to win.'
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The other drivers who weren't so lucky were defending Calgary Stampede champion Jason Glass, who crunched a barrel in the seventh heat as did Kurt Bensmiller — a four-time winner of the coveted chuckwagon championship — one race later.
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'I think (the track) was a little bit heavier, as I found out as well,' said Laboucane in regards to the afternoon rains that made track conditions slower than the first two nights. 'Guys probably just cut 'er a little bit too tight. I can't judge them because I came darn close, as well.'
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One night after edging Laboucane and Vigen for the fastest time, Obrey Motowylo and his Len T Wong & Associates Real Estate outfit had another strong showing, this time finishing third in 1:14.76.
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As far as the aggregate standings go, Vigen maintained his spot atop the leaderboard with a three-night time of 3:38.79.
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'Chanse Vigen, he's rocking it,' said Laboucane, who's sitting in second spot just 23/100ths of a second behind his rival.
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Rae Croteau Jr. (Bar L5 Ranch) is currently holding down the third spot in the cumulative standings followed closely by Kris Molle (Graf Mechanical Ltd.), Evan Salmond (De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Ltd.) and Chad Fike (Steelhaus Trayton).