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Les McIntyre Celebrates 40 Years as Chuckwagon Announcer

Returning to GMC Stadium this September with an unbroken attendance streak, he aims to call races for decades more.

Les McIntyre speaks into the microphone at a rodeo in Alberta in an undated handout photo. The longtime announcer on the province's chuckwagon circuit is celebrating 40 years on the mic this summer, and will be the announcer at the upcoming Calgary Stampede from Sept. 4 - 13, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout - Kelly McIntyre (Mandatory Credit)
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Overview

  • Les McIntyre is marking his 40th season on Alberta’s chuckwagon circuit and will return to GMC Stadium for the Calgary Stampede from September 4 to 13, 2025.
  • He has maintained a perfect attendance record over four decades, calling about 80 chuckwagon races and rodeos each year without missing a performance.
  • A back injury at Hand Hills Lake in 1983 ended his driving career and led him to begin announcing regional races by 1985.
  • After attending auction school in Billings in 1986, he worked as a livestock auctioneer until 2001, a background that forged his rapid-fire announcing style.
  • He credits his vocal endurance to healthy habits like abstaining from smoking and moderating alcohol, and he uses his platform to educate audiences on chuckwagon history and horse welfare.