Medicine Hat Stampede & WPCA officials and drivers attend to a collapsed horse during the final heat of Thursday's WPCA chuckwagon races (Photo courtesy Scott Roblin)

By Scott Roblin

No Update On Condition

Horse collapses during final heat of WPCA’s return to Medicine Hat

Jun 16, 2022 | 10:19 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Thursday’s return of chuckwagon racing to Medicine Hat for the first time in three years ended on a helpless note for those in attendance.

On the opening night of the 2022 Medicine Hat Exhibition & Stampede chuckwagon races, a horse collapsed in the infield and had to be taken away in a trailer.

The horse belonged to Chanse Vigen’s outfit and collapsed at the finish line after completing the 13th and final heat Thursday.

After being attended to by medical personnel and loaded into a trailer, the horse was transported off the track and there is no update on its condition.

The Medicine Hat Exhibition & Stampede confirmed no update would be given on Thursday night.

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This is the second year in a row that a horse has collapsed at the Stampede Grounds, after a horse collapsed and died during the opening night of the 2021 Medicine Hat Stampede Rodeo.

Following the first night of heats, Ray Croteau Jr. leads the pack with a top time of 1:04.58 which was a tenth of a second faster than reigning champion Kurt Bensmiller’s time of 1:04.68.

Races continue Friday night at the Medicine Hat Stampede Grounds.