CHAMPIONS SPEAK - 2007 Hall of Fame Inductee Tom Dorchester - Athlete
by Sandra Wright
To Tom and Joy Dorchester
and later their family, Rodeo and Chuckwagon Racing was a
way of life. For 5 months every year, from May until
October they travelled the circuit, moving from Rodeo to
Rodeo. In the early years they lived in hotels, however in
some smaller centres where there was no hotel, they slept in
the barns. Later they travelled in a pick up truck with a
wooden top over the box. sleeping in the box of the truck
and cooking off the tailgate. Joy often cooked for others
in her “truck kitchen”, at one time in Ontario, there were
25 other rodeo cowboys that enjoyed her culinary delights.
As the years went by they were able to purchase a camper and
later a motor home.
In a span of 11 years, from
1937 to 1948, Tom and Joy had 7 children, 3 girls and 4
boys. When the children were small only a couple of them
went with their parents, the others stayed with relatives or
Tom and Joy hired a housekeeper to look after them. As the
boys became teenagers, they too took part in rodeo events
like pony wagons. Soon they were outrigging for their dad’s
chuckwagon and then some of them driving their own wagons.
Purses were smaller in the
early years but so were the expenses. In the beginning Tom
supplemented his winnings with logging in the winter but he
was later able to support his family with his chuckwagon
earnings. Also in the beginning the wagons were all
self-supporting, not like today where all of the wagons have
sponsors. Eventually Jack Shecter sponsored Tom
Dorchester’s Chuckwagon, however the support was not
monetary, but because Jack Shecter was involved in horse
racing and raising thoroughbreds, his contribution was
horses.
Tom Dorchester was active in
Rodeo for over 50 years, retiring in 1981 at
the age of 70. He started out as a young man horse racing,
chariot racing, cart racing, Roman Racing and then
chuckwagon racing. He won over 60 races including Central
Alberta Championships, World Championships and a North
American Championship. For his achievements he was honoured
many times, winning every major award that was open to
drivers of chuckwagons. He was the first chuckwagon driver
to be named Cowboy of the Year by the Canadian Professional
Rodeo Association and then the first chuckwagon driver to be
inducted into the Canadian Cowboy Hall of fame. Tom passed
away in 1991 but his legacy continues today as his sons and
grandsons are also award winning chuckwagon competitors.
Through his achievements and
the recognition he received, Tom Dorchester put Westerose,
Alberta, his home, on the map. He was a chuckwagon racing
pioneer and loved his sport. It is a pleasure to induct Tom
Dorchester into the Wetaskiwin and County Sports Hall of
Fame.
Presenting the plaque to Tom’s
family will be Bob Blackmore, one of our board members.
