Chad Fike takes lead on opening night of 2025 Calgary Stampede Rangeland Derby

A horse from Chad Fike's team was euthanized Saturday night following the eighth heat of the 2025 Rangeland Derby at the Calgary Stampede.

For the second straight year at the Calgary Stampede chuckwagon races, Chad Fike was a frontrunner.

Fike, from Cremona, Alberta, had the top time of the night, 1:11.73, besting Chanse Vigen by 52 one-hundredths of a second.

Jamie Laboucaine was third, Preston Faithful fourth and defending champ Jason Glass rounded out the top five.

Fike also took the top time on opening night of the 2024 event.

The grandstand was full for opening night, and possibly included Canadian prime minister Mark Carney, who was spotted on the grounds earlier in the evening saying hello to Stampede goers, eating fudge, crawling into a tank and posing for selfies with opening night Stampede patrons.

“We gotta see some chuckwagons, huh,” Carney said as he strolled down the Midway with an entourage of security and cameras, sampling mini doughnuts and pretzels as he made his way to the grandstand stadium for the chuckwagon races.

It was Carney’s first visit to Stampede as the Canadian prime minister.

Chuckwagon racing continues nightly throughout the Stampede, with the cumulative Top 3 after next Saturday’s races advancing to the championship final of the 2025 Calgary Stampede Rangeland Derby.

Fike took home a winner’s payout of $6,000 for having the best time, while Vigen won $5,200 and Laboucane $4,600.

The Rangeland Derby is on nightly at 7:30 p.m. It airs on Sportsnet.

Rodeo highlights

A new event was introduced Friday at the Stampede Rodeo, which was break away roping.

On Day 1, Mason Stohler of Veneta, Oregon, who rode Soap Bubbles to an 88 point ride that was tops of the day in the bareback event.

In Ladies Barrel Racing, Anita Ellis of Blackfoot, Idaho was lightning fast, going around the barrels in 16.89 seconds, giving her the best in ladies barrel racing and a first place cheque for $7,000.

In tie down roping, the best time was turned in by Riley Pruitt of Gering, Nebraska, who roped and tied a calf in 7.1 seconds.

Kyle Irwin of Robertsdale, Florida, was the last cowboy out in steer wrestling and he did it in 4.3 seconds, the best of the day.

In saddlebronc, Brody Cress of Hillsdale, Wyoming rode Perlich Killing Tie to the best score of the day, combining for 88.5 points.

In break away roping, Alberta’s own Shelby Boisjoili-Meged turned in the fastest time - 2.3 seconds.

And the final category, bullriding, the last cowboy out was Tristen Hutchings of Mountainvew, Idaho. Riing Alberta Prime Devil’s Advocate, Hutchings came up with an 88.5 point ride, and a cheque for $7,750.

With files from The Canadian Press and CTV’s Alesia Fieldberg