Photo from the Rio Grande Rodeo Facebook page.

By Curtis Galbraith

Chuckwagons

Chuckwagon community mourning the passing of driver Ron Bolin

Dec 10, 2021 | 6:00 AM

The chuckwagon community in the Peace Country is mourning the passing of veteran driver Ron Bolin. He died December 4 at age 67.

Rio Grande Rodeo board member Brian Grant says Bolin raced wagons for 52 years.

“He’ll be remembered as one of the best barrelers in the arena and a real tough competitor.”

“He had his first race in about 1969 in Fort St. John, B.C. and he went on to his first win in Doe River, BC in 1978 at the age of 24.”

Grant says that ability to turn the barrels earned Bolin the nickname the Rio Grande Rocket from wagon racing announcers.

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“Through the WCA on the tour in the Peace Country, the announcers usually would give a nickname to most of the drivers.”

“He was always one of those best barrelers out of the infield, and he would leave like a rocket, so he inherited the name of the Rio Grande Rocket because he was always a hard starter and he always had a great finish.”

Grant adds Bolin had just retired from wagon racing last summer.

“He had his two last races in that season. At Rio Grande he capped it off and then he went to Teepee Creek and capped off there because those were the two that were his longest-serving shows and then he was finished.”

Grant says Bolin raced at the Calgary Stampede for several years.

He also won the Western Chuckwagon Association Dash for Cash at the 2012 edition of Stompede. Bolin raced in the WCA and that organization’s predecessor, the Peace Country Chuckwagon and Chariot Association. Grant says Bolin had “a number of show wins.”

Grant adds funeral arrangements have not been finalized but adds a tribute is planned for next summer’s edition of the Rio Grande Rodeo.