Ray Adamson isn’t about to give the North American Pony Chuckwagon championship trophy back without a fight.
The three-time champion from Camrose turned in an outstanding turn out of barrel four and charged into the lead with his Pidherney’s Trucking wagon during the opening day of the championships at the Westerner Days Wednesday.
Adamson finished in a time of one minute 17.44 seconds well ahead of Gary Thiel, who came in at 1:19.35 on the Pumps and Pressure rig.
Curtis Hogg drove the Kellough Enterprises outfit to a 1:19.39 to sit in third place with fourth place occupied by Rene Salmond and the Rai-Lynn Trucking wagon following a run of 1:19.40.
Lee Adamson is in fifth at 1:19.46 on the Ulterra sponsored outfit with Wade Salmond sixth at 1:19.51 on the Nossack Food Group wagon.
Seventh place is held down by the Calgary Flames Ambassadors wagon driven by Dale Young, who came in at 1:19.61, just 1/100ths of a second ahead of Jake Van Ringen and the Ol’ MacDonalds Resort rig in one of the best finishes of the evening.
Lori Stott, who also had a great turn out of barrel four, won the 10th heat in 1:19.74 and is in ninth place with the Wel-Can Welding and Fabrication wagon while Neil Salmond and Larry Myer are tied for 10th at 1:19.85.
Salmond drove the ABC Country Restaurant rig and Myer had the Uncle Ben’s RV trap.
Two other rigs — driven by Gary Salmond and Louis Johner — broke the 1:20.00 barrier, coming in at 1:19.98. Salmond had the Border Paving outfit and Johner was on the Wei’s Western Wear wagon.
Action continues today through Saturday at 6:30 p.m. with the championship finals starting at 2:30 p.m. Sunday.