Horse euthanized after injury during chuckwagon race at Calgary Stampede

By Canadian Press on July 13, 2025.

CALGARY — Officials from the Calgary Stampede say a horse that was hurt during a chuckwagon race on Saturday has been euthanized.

A Stampede spokesperson says a horse on Chad Fike’s team sustained a racing injury during the eighth heat.

They say medical care was immediately dispatched, but following an assessment, the owner and the veterinary team made the “humane decision” to euthanize the horse.

An entry on the World Professional Chuckwagon Association website says Fike, who lives in Cremona, Alta., is a fourth-generation chuckwagon competitor.

The horse is the first reported animal death at the 2025 Calgary Stampede, which wraps today.

Three horses and a steer were euthanized at last year’s Stampede, and animal rights groups have long called for the rodeo portion of the event to be eliminated because of the deaths.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 13, 2025.

The Canadian Press