Horse euthanized after injury during chuckwagon race at Calgary Stampede

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CALGARY - Officials from the Calgary Stampede say a horse that was hurt during a chuckwagon race on Saturday has been euthanized.

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 13/07/2025 (450 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

CALGARY – Officials from the Calgary Stampede say a horse that was hurt during a chuckwagon race on Saturday has been euthanized.

A Stampede spokesperson says a horse on Chad Fike’s team sustained a racing injury during the eighth heat.

They say medical care was immediately dispatched, but following an assessment, the owner and the veterinary team made the “humane decision” to euthanize the horse.

Drivers cross the finish line during chuckwagon racing action at the Calgary Stampede in Calgary, Alta., Saturday, July 8, 2023.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
Drivers cross the finish line during chuckwagon racing action at the Calgary Stampede in Calgary, Alta., Saturday, July 8, 2023.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

An entry on the World Professional Chuckwagon Association website says Fike, who lives in Cremona, Alta., is a fourth-generation chuckwagon competitor.

The horse is the first reported animal death at the 2025 Calgary Stampede, which wraps today.

Three horses and a steer were euthanized at last year’s Stampede, and animal rights groups have long called for the rodeo portion of the event to be eliminated because of the deaths.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 13, 2025.

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