Calgary Stampede Chuckwagon Tarps Sold

The results for the 2011 Calgary Stampede Canvas Auction are in. The total canvas sales are up $874,000 over last year, and individual average bids also showing a strong upwards trend. Traditionally, many view the results from this auction as a forebearer of the economy of the year. Certainly, if that is the case, we\’re heading in the right direction. Congratulations to all the winning chuckwagon advertisers and their drivers.

2011 Stats

• Total Auction Proceeds: $2,840,000 (2010: $1,966,000)
• Average Bid: $78,889 (2010: $54,611)
• Top Bid: $170,000
• Driver: Kelly Sutherland
• Advertiser: YaYa Calgary.com

Thanks to Billy Melville from the World Professional Chuckwagon Association\’s for the following report on the auction:

The first chuckwagon canvas auction of the year was held on Thursday, March 31, 2011 at the Archie Boyce Pavilion on Stampede Park in Calgary Albertafor the Calgary Stampede Rangeland Derby. It was a fantastic sale as $2,840,000.00 was bid on the 36 participating drivers, up a whopping $876,500.00 over 2010 totals. It was the 12th consecutive year the Calgary Auction crossed over the 1.5 million dollar mark, in addition to being the 3rd highest total in the 33 year history of Calgary’s canvas auction.

$2,007,500.00 of the total was bid on the 24 drivers that will represent the World Professional Chuckwagon Association (WPCA) at this year’s Calgary Stampede, for an average bid of $83,541.67/driver. In comparison, $835,000.00 was bid on the 12 drivers representing the Canadian Professional Chuckwagon Association, for an average bid of $69,583.33/driver. Defending Calgary Stampede Champion Kelly Sutherland was the high bid at $170,000.00, up $50,000.00 from 2010’s top bid of $120,000.00 for Chad Harden.

WPCA drivers took 14 of the top 15 bids, including all of the top 10 bids. The average bid on all 36 wagons was $78,888.89 up $24,277.78 from $54,611.11 in 2010, with the median bid being $75,000.00 up $25,000.00 from $50,000.00 in 2010. Another bright spot in the 2011 Calgary auction was the low bid was $60,000.00 up $23,000.00 from the 2010 low bid of $37,000.00.