Rider at the Stampede Rodeo
Statue at ''Stampede Grounds'', with the
Calgary Tower in the background
Stampede grounds
Stampede in-field
The 'Calgary Stampede', which bills itself as 'The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth', is a large,
non-profit festival,
exhibition, and
rodeo held in
Calgary,
Alberta for 10 days in the second week of every July. It is one of
Canada's largest annual events, and the world's largest outdoor rodeo. It features an internationally recognized rodeo competition, a
midway, 'stage shows, concerts,'
agricultural competitions,
chuckwagon races,
First Nations exhibitions, and
pancake breakfasts around the city, among other attractions. In
2006, record-breaking attendance at the 10-day rodeo and exhibition totalled 1,262,518. The Stampede
Parade which occurs on opening day, is one of the festival's oldest and largest traditions. It is led by the Calgary Stampede Showband and follows a 4.5 km route in downtown Calgary. Attendance at the parade is usually about 350,000. The parade is also televised and has a viewing audience of over 2 million. During Stampede Week, the city is flooded with tourists who join locals in the spirited atmosphere by dressing in
western attire. A large number of businesses decorate their stores and offices in western style.
The Calgary Stampede takes place at the Stampede Grounds, which are located on the southeast fringe of downtown Calgary in the
Beltline District. The park is easily accessed via
Calgary Transit's light rail system, the
C-Train. Permanent structures at the site include the
Pengrowth Saddledome (hockey arena), the Round-Up Centre (a convention and exhibition facility), the Stampede Casino, the
grandstand/racetrack, the agriculture building, and a number of smaller buildings. A major expansion and upgrading of the grounds is currently underway. It will likely include a new hotel, a new casino, a new "main street" retail and market area, a new agriculture building, underground parking, and an extensive re-landscaping of the outdoor areas.
History
General Overview
The Calgary Exhibition was first held in
1886 soon after the arrival of the
Canadian Pacific Railway in the city. The Calgary Stampede (a separate event) was inaugurated in
1912 by
Guy Weadick, an American trick roper. Weadick wanted to put on a world-class rodeo event and Wild West show that would bring the best cowboys from across the continent. The first Stampede was the richest rodeo competition in North America with prize money totalling $20,000. It drew more than 100,000 spectators. In
1923, the Stampede was combined with the Calgary Exhibition and the event has taken place every year since.
The Midway is run by North American Midway Entertainment, who also operate the
Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto.
Historical Timeline
The early years as separate events
[1]:
★ 1884 'Agricultural Society' formed
★ 1886 First 'Calgary Exhibition' held
★ 1889 'Stampede Park' was purchased from the Government of
Canada
★ 1908 'Dominion Exhibition' held (Canada was then known as a
Dominion of the
United Kingdom)
★ 1912
Guy Weadick arrived in Calgary. He envisaged a Wild West Extravaganza, arranged financing from the "Big 4" (Lane, McLean,
Burns and Cross) for $100,000 and in September 1912, the first 'Calgary Stampede' was held - it was a success
★ 1922 'Calgary Industrial Exhibition' held
★ 1923 The 'Stampede' hosted the first competitive Chuckwagon Races
★ 1925 The American
silent film, titled 'The Calgary Stampede' was released throughout North America. It was a Western about love, murder, and the rodeo. It included substantial footage of the actual rodeo competition at the Calgary Stampede. It helped make the Stampede known throughout North America
[2].
History of the combined 'Calgary Exhibition and Stampede'
[3]:
★ 1923 The 'Calgary Exhibition' joined with the 'Stampede' to become the 'Calgary Exhibition and Stampede'. From this point on, the term 'Stampede' refers to the entire combined organization and related events.
★ 1953
Guy Weadick dies
★ 1964 The '
Young Canadians of the Calgary Stampede' came into being
★ 1967-1968 The Stampede stretches from 6 to 10 days; its current length.
★ 1968 Additional land purchased to allow for Stampede Park expansion
★ 1971 The '
Calgary Stampede Showband' is formed
★ 1976 Stampede attendance surpasses one million for the first time
★ 1982 Prize money for the rodeo is raised to $500,000
★ 1997 Completion of the $8.2 million permanent infield structure complete with 23 deluxe box suites and increased rodeo prize money announced
★ 2000 Attendance was 1,218,851; which was the highest so far for the Stampede
★ 2004 The rodeo prize goes from $500,000 to $1,000,000 to keep the Stampede on par with other major rodeos such as the
Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo.
★ 2005 Attendance sets a new record through ten days at 1,242,928.
★ 2006 The rodeo is no longer sanctioned by the PRCA (Pro Rodeo Cowboy Association), or the CPRA (Canadian Pro Rodeo Association), and has become an invite-only rodeo event to the top competitors from the NFR (National Finals Rodeo), CFR (Canadian Finals Rodeo), and PBR (Professional Bull Riders) - a first in rodeo. Prize money for the six rodeo events is upped to $1.6 million, while the famous chuckwagon races is $1 million.
★ 2006 Attendance records are beat for the third year in a row at 1,262,518.
Controversy
Animal advocacy groups, including The Calgary Humane Society, have voiced concern over the Stampede and rodeos in general, citing animal cruelty and recreational abuse as reasons for their opposition. The Stampede has always countered that they go to great lengths to protect the safety of animals, and the large majority of years go by with not a single fatality. Defenders of the Stampede argue that both the Stampede and ranchers love and protect their animals, but cannot avoid all accidents. However, as true in all rodeos, animals are driven to perform by devices such as bucking straps, electric prods, and spurs. Which animal advocates argue cause fear and pain to the animals.
Despite being a large-scale sporting event (it is the world's largest outdoor annual rodeo), the Stampede rarely sees serious human casualties and typically loses nearly ten animals per year. After every accident resulting in the death of a human or loss of an animal, the Stampede conducts a review which allegedly results in safety modifications.
In 1986, 12 horses were killed during the Stampede (most were euthanized because of injuries), making that year the worst for loss of stock. As a result, the Calgary Stampede claims that major safety changes were implemented to make collisions less likely. Since then, 25 horses have died as a direct result of this annual event.
'Deaths Involving Humans':
[4]
★ 1948: A spectator in an area known as the Stampede infield died when he was struck by an outrider's horse.
★ 1960: Driver Don Chapin, 34, was killed when his wagon overturned at the start of a heat.
★ July 14, 1971: Outrider Rod Glass, 19, was killed when some chuckwagons overturned at the first bend of the racetrack. He was tossed to his death.
★ July 20, 1996: Outrider Eugene Jackson, 24, died of head injuries sustained in a July 11, 1996, accident.
★ July 11, 1999: Driver Bill McEwen, 51, died of severe head injuries suffered in a chuckwagon crash two days before, when a pileup on the track had catapulted him into the air. He was taken off life support before he died. Larry McEwen was quoted as saying that his father died doing what he loved.
'Accidents Involving Animals:'
★ July 10, 1986: A chuckwagon collision resulted in the deaths of six horses.
★ 1995: Three horses died in rodeo accidents.
★ 1999: One horse died in a chuckwagon accident.
★ 2002: A total of six horses were euthanized after they were injured during chuckwagon races.
★ 2004: A horse was put down after it broke a hind leg in a rodeo event
[5].
★ 2006: Two horses died during Day #1 of the Rangeland Derby (One from a heart attack, the other euthanized owing to injuries from the ensuing pileup)
[6]
★ 2007: Three horses died in a wreck during Day 9, Heat 7 of the Rangeland Derby. All three horses lost belonged to Gary Gorst, whose wagon team wiped out after being cut off. A second driver - Tyler Helmig - was injured after his wagon crashed into the heap. The race officials put Ray Mitsuing - a veteran driver at the Stampede - at fault for the wreck and assessed him 25 penalty seconds. After further review, the Stampede Board made a controversial ruling that put Kelly Sutherland - the fourth driver in the heat - at fault. Kelly - a multiple winner of the Rangeland Derby - was suspended for the final day.
[7]
The worst animal accident for a single event related to the Stampede was on July 3, 2005
[8]. Nine horses died after jumping off a bridge and into the
Bow River. The accident occurred during the Trail 2005 trail ride from the Stampede's ranch to the city. The incident occurred five days before the beginning of the Stampede. Shortly after the accident, the Calgary Police cleared organisers of any criminal fault, upon finding no willful intent to cause cruelty
[9]. The Stampede's internal investigation was released in December of the same year and failed to identify the cause. It did rule that the accident was not caused by sudden noise as was speculated at the time. With its press release, the Stampede indicated they wouldn't try again unless they could ensure safety. Though no future rides were planned, the option to have one in the future was left open
[10].
See also
★
Rodeo bareback rigging
★
Beltline District - Community where the Stampede Grounds are located.
★
Canadian Finals Rodeo, Canada's other big rodeo
★
Raymond Stampede, Canada's oldest rodeo
★
Festivals in Alberta
References
External links
★
Calgary Stampede Homepage
★
Calgary Stampede Holidays (From the UK)
★
Calgary Stampede - Pro Rodeo Online
★
Calgary Stampede - Archives Online: View photographs, postcards, programs, catalogues, corporate records, information databases and other printed ephemera, just as if you were in the archives yourself. Items directly from the official Calgary Exhibition & Stampede Archives
★
CBC Digital Archives - Calgary Stampede: Celebrating Canada's Western Heritage
★
The Calgary Stampede - Historical Committee
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