Orville: A Biography of Chuckwagon Pioneer Orville Strandquist

Glynn A. Leyshon is a professor of physical education at the University
of Western Ontario, a former weekly columnist for the London Free Press
and author of 18 Sporting Stories.

This book depicts the life and times of champion chuckwagon driver
Orville Strandquist of Stettler, Alberta. Whether he should be called an
athlete or a performer is a moot point, but in any case his career
spanned an astonishing 50 years.

Starting in the 1940s, Strandquist drove first for other outfits, then
acquired his own rig. Jean James, herself a farmer, details not only the
glamor of the rodeo circuit, but the early hand-to-mouth existence
Strandquist led. Incidents such as travelling to competition with only
change in his pocket in anticipation of taking home prize money lend a
poignancy to the events which most sporting stories lack.

This account deals almost as much with the daily life of Strandquist
(twice married and also victim of a serious fire loss) as with his
prize-winning cowboy exploits. The latter, in addition to his chuckwagon
racing, includes wild-horse racing, Roman racing (riding two horses
while standing on their backs), and being an outrider. He drove his last
race at age 60 and still bears the scars of several spectacular spills.

The rodeo began as a pastime for cowboys to show off their workday
skills. It is now a professional sport where training, animals,
equipment, travel, entry fees, and association dues mean an outlay of up
to $100,000 or more. While the Calgary Stampede offers total prize money
of $325,000, the competition is stiff. It is less so now that
Strandquist is no longer contesting the races. James not only leads the
reader to this conclusion, she presents the material in a rich, clean
prose. The book is a good read for those who lean toward cowboys. It
also will, for those who lived through them, bring a pang or two of
nostalgia for its descriptions of the early days.