Hometown Rimbey outrider Ethan Motowylo had good success at this year’s Ponoka Stampede, having his driver Chanse Vigen come out the champion in the Hi Line Motorsports $75,000 Tommy Dorchester Championship final heat for the chuckwagon racing.
“It felt great to be back. Ponoka is the hometown show for me and it was amazing to come back, and the way things turned out after the show was over was excellent,” said Motowylo.
Motowylo originally got into the sport of chuckwagons from his father, well-known chuckwagon driver Obrey Motowylo.
“I grew up with it my whole life. My summer’s always been on the road chuckwagon racing,” said Ethan.
It’s also something he and his family continue to do together. Ethan and his brother Hayden were outriders for their dad every day at the Ponoka Stampede, and will continue riding for him this summer at the line-up of rodeos, including the Calgary Stampede.
Ethan said it’s a really neat experience to get to take part in the sport with his dad, adding that although his dad never did outriding, Ethan knew he wanted to do it ever since he was little. He has now been doing outriding since 2016.
He said in a few years down the road he hopes to try out being a driver in chuckwagon racing.
During his off season, Ethan is a farrier full-time and likes to take part in team roping.
Later this summer, he will be competing in High River, Strathmore, Dawson Creek, Rocky Mountain House and Century Downs for the finals.