Bensmiller to give Back to Rednecks with a Cause

2017 Ponoka Stampede Champion to race two wagons in BPRCA Championships.

At this year’s Calgary Stampede Colt Cosgrave and Layne Bremner will be retiring from the WPCA circuit, which means there will be two wagons to fill for the remainder of the circuit; including the Bonnyville Pro Rodeo & Chuckwagon Championships. Kurt Bensmiller has been named as one of the replacement drivers, which means he is looking for another tarp sponsor.

Tina Kissel, long-time WPCA supporter explains, “he’s going to run two wagons. He called me up and asked me to help him find a sponsor for his second wagon.” Tina threw, as she describes it, “a brillant idea”, back at the driver, “why don’t you challenge the Rednecks with a Cause, to find you a sponsor? And if the Rednecks with a Cause can find you a sponsor, you’ll in turn, donate 10 percent of that sponsorship money back to Rednecks with a Cause for autism awareness.”

In the midst of the Day 7 of the Calgary Stampede, Kurt Bensmiller took some time to confirm he will be giving back to the local charity, “to tell you the truth, that’s just what they came up with… the 10 percent. I know where my costs are, so depending on how much we raise, the more we get, the more percentage I’ll actually donate. ” The 2015 WPCA Champion, two-time Calgary Stampede Champion and two-time Ponoka Stampede Champion not only agreed to the challenge but will give anything above his costs to run the outfit.

As for logistics of the races, because he’s running two wagons, some may worry about whether or not he can handle the intensity in Bonnyville. Bensmiller says the way the standings are there won’t be any chance of back-to-back races, giving him enough time to prepare for both wagons. “I’ll go wherever they place me, which will likely be in the first heat. I’ll finish that one off and the day points still count and then I’ll run my other wagon as well.” Bensmiller’s first wagon is sponsored by Friends of George Normand.

For the majority of the remaining races on the circuit, Bensmiller won’t have any issues with running back-to-back races or two wagons in the same heat. However, when he gets to Drayton Valley, that issue may come up, he explains, “I would never gain enough points to get hooked to myself, but definitely when we get to Dawson Creek, there’s a chance that if everything played out and we were freaky lucky, I could get both outfits in a dash. That’s the only place I’d have to worry about it.” Dawson Creek has one day when the wagons are redrawn on time, whereas every other location redraws wagons on points.

To bid on Kurt Bensmiller’s Wagon head to Redneck’s with a Cause’s Facebook Page. Get tickets to the BPRCA Championships.