Rodeo community mourns death of two Alta. chuckwagon veterans
DAWSON CREEK, B.C. — The rodeo community was mourning two of its most honoured veterans Wednesday after one was killed in a crash on a northern Alberta highway and another succumbed to cancer in a Calgary hospital.
"It hasn't been a very good day," said Kelly Carson, manager of the World Professional Chuckwagon Association.
Dallas Dorchester, 62, who died Tuesday after a long battle with cancer, was a three-time winner of the Rangeland Derby at the Calgary Stampede.
The same day, Herman Flad, 68, was killed along with 14 of his horses when his rig - bound for a competition in Dawson Creek - crashed near Rycroft, 70 kilometres north of Grande Prairie, Alta.
What happened isn't entirely clear. Police have said Flad collided head-on with a pickup truck but Carson said he understood that the pickup veered into oncoming traffic and Flad swerved to miss it, rolling in the ditch.
Carson said Flad's son Troy, 33, who was following his father with his own rig, came upon the wreckage.
"He was a bit in shock last night," said Carson. "Today, he's been in better spirits because he's focused on getting ready. He's cut from the same cloth - he's got a job to do."
Carson was referring to Wednesday's competition at Dawson Creek, which went ahead despite the deaths. Troy Flad was in the race, determined not to disappoint his father.
"We had to make some decisions on whether we were going to race today ... because we still have a tour, and we still have points and money and fans that are coming into Dawson Creek to watch," said Carson.
He said Wednesday's races were held in memory of both Flad and Dorchester.
"Herman was one of the most respected men that our sport has ever seen. He is a grandfather to everybody," said Carson.
"He was the first-ever winner of our tour, back in the '90s. He's just going to be a man that's going to leave a big whole in everybody's heart."
Flad had the "old-school cowboy mentality" that meant the job was both fun and lots of work, whether running his own rigs or helping out others.
"He was always the guy who didn't want to do Nascar on the wagon - he just wanted one sponsor, treat that sponsor right and he didn't want a sticker on every corner just to get an extra few bucks - that wasn't Herman's style."
As for the famed Dorchester family, Carson noted they go back to the first running of the Calgary Stampede.
"Dallas, even while losing his battle with cancer, was still around and still encouraging other guys and still helping people and still training horses," said Carson, adding he was like the Gordie Howe of the chuckwagon world, especially in his influence on young people.
Both men were pioneers, he said, who "knew what to do and what was right for the sport."
-By Jordan Jackle in Edmonton
