THE TEAM
SUTHERLAND RACING
THE
SUTHERLAND RACING
TEAM
"The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team." The quote by Phil Jackson sums up how the Sutherland Racing Team operates and succeeds on a daily basis. The team, consisting of the drivers, Mark and Dayton, the equine athletes, the corporate partners, the crew and the family all work together in order to create success.
THE HORSES
Horses display the same qualities as humans: intelligence, mischievousness, jealousy, playfulness, stress, loyalty, eagerness, and thoroughbreds in particular display a true passion to compete and race. Each thoroughbred has their own personality and we learn to appreciate what each unique horse can bring to the team.
Position: Right lead
Personality: One of the friendliest horses on the team, Digger will always welcome a pat or rub from visitors. When you scratch his neck, he will drop his head and lean up against you. He loves carrots and doesn’t get too excited when it is his turn to race. He is calm and steady, but knows how to get the job done.
DIGGER
buffalo
Position: Left lead
Personality: Buffalo was born in California. He is a tall, quiet boy. He is very competitive. Loves to be the first one out of the barrels, even ahead of his teammates. Buffalo is extremely smart and nice to work with.
TiP
Position: Left wheel
Personality: Tip is always one of the first ones to come visit you in the pasture; he is kind and nice to work with. He is a powerhouse that loves to run and excels at starting the wagon. He was born in Kentucky and as he goes through spring training he gets more and more boisterous.
ICE
Position: Right wheel
Personality: Ice is a curious horse who will always approach you in the corral to see what is going on. He is playful with the other horses and enjoys the time they are given in the corrals to play with their buddies. He is an honest horse that doesn't cheat; he will give you a good race each and every time. Ice is Mr. Consistency.
legend
Position: Right lead
Personality: Hometown Legend was born in Kentucky. He is just a little guy who is kind of quiet and keeps to himself for the most part when he is the corral. He is extremely quick and agile on the wagon, almost playful and childlike. He is easy to work with and helped Mark win his first-ever Ponoka Stampede championship.
Position: Left wheel
Personality: Howie is not very sociable. He doesn't like treats and is always one of the last ones to be caught when it is time to go into the barn. He is a smaller horse, but one of the most powerful. He starts and charges really hard to the top barrel. He came from California and was a superstar right from the start.
HOWIE
RUNNER
Position: Left wheel
Personality: Runner is a powerhouse who has lots of early speed, which helps sometimes to steal the rail fro the drivers on the inside barrels. Right from the beginning he has liked to charge and his power throws the wagon around when he turns because he accelerates so fast. Runner was a horse that took lots of extra driving when he was being started, but Mark always knew he had great potential. Runner is a big horse with a tonne of power so his early speed is a bit deceiving - just like humans, usually the lighter more agile horse will have more speed.
deputy
Position: Right wheel
Personality: Deputy was born in Kentucky. He is a beautifully built horse with lots of muscle and a nice round hip. He will also come for a visit in the pasture but is a bit difficult to turn out of the barn. When is it his turn he likes to try and lead. He is a horse that will give the same effort every time on the wagon.
Position: Left wheel
Personality: Cash was born in California. He is extremely smart and can run all day. Cash is a very well mannered horse that is easy to work with. He loves competition and would race every night if he was allowed. He is a half brother to other superstars on the team like Buffalo, Winner and Sky to name a few.
cash
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VLAD
Position: Left lead
Personality: Vlad is a tall, big kid who sometimes forgets his size and strength. He is playful in the corrals and has always loved to pull the wagon. Vlad gets excited when it his turn to race. He is a bit hard to handle because of his playful and carefree nature. He is a very intelligent horse and will fool the barn hands, but when he hears Mark's voice he knows it is time to behave.
monty
Position: Left lead and left wheel
Personality: Monty comes from Ontario. He is kind of a shy and quiet guy. He is quite skiddish, which means he scares easily. Monty is one of the fastest horses in the barn.
cedar
Position: Right wheel
Personality: Cedar comes from Texas. He is quite confident and has a ton of power. He is a very hard runner in a race and doesn't ever quit. He gives it his all. He has a solid build and is thicker in the chest, making him a great fit for the wheel position.
IT'S ALL ABOUT THE
HORSES
THE RETIREES
Mark explains the importance of the horse, the pride a chuckwagon driver has for them and the process of retirement.
TEX
Year Foaled: 2003
Position: Left lead
Award: 2011 WPCA champion left wheeler
Personality: Known for his great power and start when the horn sounds, Tex won the Equine Horse of the Year award in 2011. Tex is a no-nonsense guy who prefers not to visit with people. In fact, you will often find him at the back of his stall or with his bum sticking out the front—sending the message he does not want to visit. Tex was retired in 2017 and happily spends his days running around with the other retirees on the Sutherland Ranch.
BOBBY & RALPH
One of the most famous lead teams, Bobby and Ralph won more titles than most drivers ever will; winning over 24 shows, three world titles and five Calgary Stampede titles. Ralph, the grey, wasn't the most sociable horse, but was proud, determined and so loyal to Bobby. The two of them were inseparable and you would find them in the pasture, side-by-side, in their wagon positions; Bobby on the right and Ralph on the left. They both had big hearts and gave everything they had each and every race. Ralph hated to lose and would get mad when it wasn’t his turn to run; he loved what he did. In preparation for the race, we lay the harness out in front of the horses’ stalls. Ralph knew if the harness wasn’t laying in front of his stall he didn’t get to race that night and he would go to the back of his stall and pout. Bobby was the first to pass on the farm during spring training. When we loaded Ralph into the trailer to leave for the season he took one step into the trailer and stopped and looked back; we all knew he was looking back to say good bye to Bobby. Sadly, Ralph passed away later that year. It is just like the old couple that dies one after the other, they couldn’t stand to be a part.
MANNY
Manny was a playful horse that loved apples and carrots; he would always try to get into your pockets for a treat. He loved people and would be one of the first horses to approach you in the field. Dina fell instantly in love with Manny when they first met in the barns at Emerald Downs in Seattle. Manny was a solid an honest horse that would stand perfect in the barrels until the horn went. He was so good that he could race in any position. Manny was a quiet gentle soul that was mature beyond his years. He is dearly missed.
SHADY
Shady was one of the toughest horses to get started on the wagon. He was stubborn, nervous and, we soon figured out, claustrophobic. Mark and him had a love-hate relationship in the beginning; Shady even ran away a few times in training. Mark spent hours with him because he knew he had potential and he knew someone didn’t treat him right in his past. Shady just needed to learn to trust and he would be fine. He did learn to trust and as soon as he would hear Mark’s voice he relaxed. Shady was explosive on the wheel. In 2020, he passed away peacefully on the ranch at the age of 25 while enjoying retirement.
ART
Watch as Mark explains the love he has for Art and how hard it was to retire him in 2005. He hasn't raced a day since his injury, but he enjoyed roaming the pastures at the ranch until 2020 when he passed away peacefully at the age of 31. He loved black licorice and always came to visit when we are out in the pasture.
Partners
The Brands Behind The Team
Join the Team!
Sutherland Racing is proud to have partnered in the past with corporate brands like Air Canada, Coca Cola, and Telus. It is the team's goal to promote and elevate the brands they represent professionally and with a unique western flair. The team will work collaboratively with their partners in order to reach their defined marketing goals and leverage their investment to the fullest. There are numerous ways to promote your brand when you join one of the top teams of the sport.
Sutherland Racing has a huge fan base on and off the track, a strong media connection (they are one of the first teams the media will reach out to for a story) and always run a safe and professional operation. By partnering with the Sutherland Team you will be provided exclusive behind the barn access, support a western heritage sport and community event, host top clients at the locations you purchased all while promoting your brand in front of thousands.
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Partnership benefits could include:
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Barn hosting
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Social media promotion / contests
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Event tickets
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Team apparel
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Wagon ride
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A day at the Sutherland Ranch
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Guest speaker access
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Your brand could be displayed on:
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Trucks - one 53 foot horse liner and multiple pick up trucks
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Shirt sleeves of your driver
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Wagon tarp
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Social media
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Website
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Barn events
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Team apparel
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To join our team please reach out to Mark or Dina Sutherland for further information and discussions. Contact information is on the home page.
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