Listeners in Southern Alberta to the Rangeland Derby at the Calgary Stampede this year heard a familiar voice on the airwaves as Drumheller’s Jason Blanke had the opportunity to host the show.
Blanke, who is a morning show host and a newsman for Boom FM, was hired by the WPCA to host the Rangeland Derby for Country 910. It is a highlight of his broadcasting career.
“Everyday I was there, I had to pinch myself,” he tells the Mail. “You are standing up there in the Eye in the Sky and looking over 20,000 people watching the show, and you get to be there working.”
He hosted eight of the 10 performances during the Stampede. He was the host, and was joined in the booth by Bryan Hebson of the WPCA and broadcaster Darby Rae Crouch. Les McIntyre called the races. He had a little bit of chuckwagon experience when he would call the WPCA events when they were held in Drumheller.
Country 910 serves most of Southern Alberta and is the go-to for many rural listeners south of Edmonton.
“They are very intent listeners and pay attention to everything,” he said. “I was going into this as a greenhorn, because of course, I don't know much about chuckwagons, other than as a fan and watching the chucks. Some of the cool parts of it was actually getting to know the drivers and teams. Chuckwagons are all about family and it is really cool.”
He had the opportunity to interview many of the drivers, including legendary Mark Sutherland, who is retiring this season.
Prior to this experience, one of Blanke’s career highlights was calling a WHL game.
This surpassed that experience.
“This is the biggest thing I have ever done announcing-wise. People asked me, ‘hockey or chuckwagons, what is your favourite?’ Still hockey.”
