 The Eastern Pony Chariot & Chuckwagon
Association was officially formed on November 2, 1969. The developmental meeting
was held at the farm of Fritz Althouse.
The object of the club (then & now) is to
promote better racing and sportsmanship amongst the members of the association.
Along with the promotion of better racing and sportsmanship, the
association's secondary objective is to provide the public with the best races
possible.
Membership in the association has grown from 20
members in 1969-1970 to approximately 125 in recent years.
Membership in the racing association is open to
anyone who wishes to purchase an annual membership but voting privileges are
only available to those members who own a chuckwagon or chariot hook and who run
at least three shows with the EPCCA.
Some aspects of the club have changed
dramatically over the years while others have remained the same.
In the early years, the drivers, their families
and their ponies arrived at the races in trucks with stock racks on the box.
Some of the racers and their families stayed in home made campers or tents,
while others slept in their trucks or perhaps in sleeping bags under their
trailers. Now they travel with customized stock trailers, new campers and motor
homes. Things look a lot different now in the race campsites than it did in the
formative years of the club.
 In the earlier years our club ran two different
categories for ponies. The first category was for ponies that measured up to
48" and the second category was for ponies who measured up to 50". Up
until 1986, the horses had to measure 48-50 inches at the withers before
they were branded and permitted to race for the season. In 1986 the measure
changed to 51" or 53". In 1995 the club went to a one-size measure for
all ponies. The size was changed to 53". This size was kept until 2005 when
the measure was raised to 57 1/2". Now in 2007 the size is 58 1/2"
using a new laser measurement system.
The first six shows featuring Eastern Pony
Chuckwagon & Chariot Association races were Lintlaw, Invermay, Kelvington,
Hudson Bay, Weekes & Wadena. 2007 marks the 37th consecutive year that the
club will run at all of those places except Lintlaw where they no longer hold
races. With new race dates being added to the schedule over the years, the club
now holds approximately 35 days of racing at 14 different shows during the
summer.
During the early years, three members used
individual stopwatches to time the races. Later, a box was built to hold the
watches, enabling the timer to start all three at exactly the same instant. In
1991, a very sophisticated video camera, timer and VCR system was purchased.
This enabled the officials to tape the race and play it back, frame by frame
allowing them to read the exact time to the hundredth of a second. In 2003 the
system was updated with new equipment. Current timing officials include Paulette
Althouse, secretary-treasurer and Daphne Wickstrom, head video-timer operator as
well as Gloria Wiwcharuk part-time video timer operator.
During the first years John Grand from Margo
provided the sound system. Mr. Grand provided the use of his system at all the
races. Now, the EPCCA has their own sound system that travels along all summer
our club announcer, Ed Jenkins.
 A number of members have remained with the
association since its establishment; with some still serving on the executive,
board of directors and measuring crew. The associations’ auditors, Ed Durgan
and Albert Mennie, were with the club until 2002, when Pat Finnie was appointed
to replace Ed Durgan. At the end of each racing season, an annual meeting,
wind-up banquet and dance is held to elect new officers and to recognize the
high-point drivers of the year. This is also a time for members, their families,
friends, and sponsors to reminisce over the year's races and to start looking
forward to the coming race season!
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