Veteran Tournier takes world title in chucks
Like any good coach, Luke Tournier relied on his allstars. They delivered. And they carried the Duck Lake, Sask., driver to his first chuckwagon world championship.
Tournier wrapped up the title Sunday in Rocky Mountain House, finishing with 1,282 points, which was 104.5 ahead of secondplace Gary Gorst.
The 53-year-old said he started to pay attention to the world race about a month ago.
“Maybe around Strathmore, I started thinking maybe I should focus on this,” Tournier said.
“I always want to win everything, but I never focused on trying to win the year-end.
“I would always focus on the next show coming up. And once I had enough points gathered (to qualify) for Calgary, I would start driving new horses.
“But I shortened the bench and only drove horses that I knew were good and would work. That’s why we were so consistent.”
The two-time Rangeland Derby champion’s previous best finish was in 2007 when he was third, but he’s been inside the top 10 in 13 of his 14 seasons on the World Professional Chuckwagon Association circuit.
Tournier had son Quaid and Chance Flad as his outriding crew for almost the entire season.
Flad won his third consecutive world outriding crown with Rory Gervais finishing second.
“The outriders did a great job,” Tournier said. “Full marks to them.” Tournier won tour stops in Bonnyville and Dawson Creek, B.C., on his way to the world title.
Meanwhile, Chad Harden (Ja-Co Welding & Consulting Ltd.) laid down a daymoney run of 1:15.75, which moved him to the top of the aggregate standings and giving him the Battle of the Rockies title.
Harden had outriders Cole Somerville, who picked up his first-career WPCA show title, and Kale Lajeunesse chasing his wagon.
I always want to win everything, but I never focused on trying to win the year-end.