WPCA returning to Bonnyville after two-year hiatus

The WPCA is coming to Bonnyville.

The World Professional Chuckwagon Association has confirmed they have struck a new deal and will return this summer to Bonnyville after a two-year hiatus.

The WPCA will return on July 23-26.

The CPCA performed in Bonnyville over the last two years.

“The Bonnyville Agricultural Society is excited to welcome the WPCA back to Bonnyville,” said Mitch Michaud, Bonnyville Ag Society.

In February 2018, the Bonnyville Ag Society could not reach an agreement with the WPCA.

“It’s going to be exciting for us,” said WPCA driver Kurt Bensmiller from Dewberry.

“We’re close to Bonnyville. It’s going to be very important that the sponsors come out now that the people have spoken and said they wanted the WPCA back. We just got to make sure that the drivers are looked after and we get a good sponsor base for everyone coming there because it’s very important for us to be able to get up and down the roads,” he said.

He said the WPCA and Bonnyville Ag Society could not come to a mutual agreement last year like in year’s past but were told that “the people had spoken” and wanted them back.

“They got back in contact with us and we’re hoping to rebuild kind of a broken relationship. Like I mentioned, if the sponsorship pulls up and helps out the drivers, it won’t be long to fix the relationship. I know there’s a lot of guys excited to go,” said Bensmiller.

“I’ve always wanted to try and win this show. It was the George Normand show and Geroge is pretty good friends with my dad and we grew up with all of those guys. It will be nice to go out there and win that one up there finally,” he said.

“It will be nice to go back close to my hometown. Lots of people here in Dewberry alone are excited to go. If we can get the support of sponsorship from drivers, I’m sure it will go back to its former glory days.”