An Okotoks businessman didn’t let being in the Lone Star State stop him from helping a family friend while at the same time supporting chuckwagon racing in the foothills.

High River chuckwagon driver Brian Mayan is sandwiched between Warren Carriere and Kevin Lalonde of Okotoks Rentals at the World Professional Chuckwagon Association tarp auction April 6 in Calgary.

Vern Reidlinger of Good Time Party Rentals in Okotoks purchased High River chuckwagon driver Brian Mayan’s tarp for $3,750 at the World Professional Chuckwagon Association Tarp Auction April 6 in Calgary. The Good Time Party Rentals logo will be on Mayan’s tarp for the North American Chuckwagon Championships in High River in June.

Reidlinger bought the tarp despite the fact he was in Texas during the auction.

“I was on the cell phone from Kerrville, Texas talking to Warren (Carriere of Okotoks Rentals) who was at the auction,” Reidlinger said from Texas. “Warren told me what the price was and I said take him.”

Reidlinger has known Mayan ever since the chuckwagon driver was a linemate with his son Todd on the Okotoks 85ers, the genesis of the present Okotoks Junior B Bisons.

“I’ve known Brian for 15 to 20 years,” Reidlinger said. “He’s a good kid. I’ll do whatever it takes to help Brian win.”

Mayan said he is delighted to be working for Good Time Party Rentals.

“When I was playing hockey, half the time I was at Todd’s house and the other half he was at my house,” the 40-year-old Mayan said with a laugh. “I was an adopted son of Verg’s whether he wanted it or not.”

Mayan helped the younger Reidlinger learn how to play in the tough Junior B hockey circuit of the 1980s.

“I taught Todd how to fight,” Mayan said with a smile. “He was a 15 or 16-year-old kid and I would tell him to run through that wall and he would do it.”

Now Mayan will run through walls for Good Time Rentals.

“Every sponsor I have, I work for them,” Mayan said. “He’s a sponsor and a friend. It’s up to me to prove there is value in buying the tarp. If they are happy, I’m happy. If they aren’t I have done something wrong.”

It is Reidlinger’s first time buying a tarp, however, he worked with legendary chuckwagon driver Orville Strandquist years ago at the High River shows prior to there being a tarp auction.

The apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree in the Reidlinger family.

Todd purchased Cody Ridsdale’s tarp for $2,750 on behalf of Okotoks Rentals for the North American Championships during the auction.

Todd wasn’t in Texas like his dad, but he was still bidding long distance. Todd was in Phoenix watching Okotoks resident Lyle Seitz officiate his final game in the NHL.

Todd kept track of the auction over the cell phone with Kevin Lalonde of Okotoks Rentals who was at the auction.

Okotoks Rentals and Good Time Party Rentals weren’t the only foothills businesses to purchase a local driver’s tarp.

Doug McLaughlin of High River Autoplex and RV purchased Mazeppa area driver Jason Glass’ tarp for $3,000 for the Drumheller races.

“Jason was kind of stalling at $2,750 and I thought I would bid him up and I ended up buying him,” McLaughlin said. “It’s great. Jason is a good guy to work with. I have sponsored him for other shows.”

McLaughlin also purchased Colt Cosgrave’s tarp, Glass’ cousin, for $6,000 for the High River races.
He said supporting chuckwagons has proven to be affective advertising for High River Autoplex and RV.

Andy and Kathy Makelki of Tri-Mak Electrical Inc. once again purchased Okotoks driver Mark Sutherland’s tarp for the High River races. They bid $7,000 for Sutherland’s tarp.

The North American Chuckwagon Championships races brought in $155,000 in the sale of the 36 drivers who will compete in High River. The High River Agricultural Society, the organizers of the event, takes 20 per cent of that total ($31,000), to help run the annual event.

North American races spokesman Bill Long said the majority of the money will go back to the drivers in the form of prize money.
It’s a sound investment, he said.

“We make our money through our fans,” Long said. “You can’t have fans if you don’t have chuckwagon drivers.”

Of the eight shows up for auction, the North American Chuckwagon Association had the fourth-highest total.
However, the $155,000 total for the High River races was down $2,750 from last year.

The North American Chuckwagon Races are from June 24-27 at the High River Rodeo Grounds.

0 Click Here to 'Like' this post

 Email This Post  Print This Post