The Calgary Stampede

The Calgary Stampede

Horse Cultures of the World

The Calgary Stampede - image by steve estvanik/Shutterstock.com - Globetrotting horse riding holidays

Is it a rodeo? An exhibition? A festival? Or all three? More than just midway rides, bucking broncos and fireworks, the Calgary Stampede is a ten day celebration of Western heritage. It’s a gathering place for horse enthusiasts from all over the world – hosting, educating and entertaining over a million visitors each year. Known to locals as ‘The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth’, this call-it-what-you-want event is held every July in the city of Calgary in Alberta, Canada.

The event kicks off with the iconic two-and-a-half mile Stampede Parade. Making its way through a sea of spectators in downtown Calgary, the Parade features countless beautiful floats, marching bands, celebrities, cultural performances and of course LOTS of horses. Once it’s over, the gates to Stampede Park are opened and day one officially begins!

The Calgary Stampede - image by steve estvanik/Shutterstock.com - Globetrotting horse riding holidays

The heart of the Calgary Stampede is the rodeo, one of the largest and the most famous events of its kind. The calibre of a rodeo comes down to two things: the skill of the competitors and the quality of the horses, bulls and steers. The Stampede Rodeo features the world’s best competitors and animals – safe to say it doesn’t get better than this!

The cowboys and cowgirls face off in furious displays of skill and grit, with every win building towards Showdown Sunday, Rodeo’s Richest Afternoon. There are six major events: ladies barrel racing, bareback, tie-down roping, steer wrestling (below), saddle bronc and bull riding. For the brave competitors, performing in front of more than 20,000 fans each day is the highlight of the rodeo season.  

The Calgary Stampede - image by steve estvanik/Shutterstock.com - Globetrotting horse riding holidays

But the fun doesn’t stop at the end of the day. Each night, visitors are treated to the world’s most unique double-header: the Evening Show, which features both the Grandstand Stage Show and the GMC Rangeland Derby Chuckwagon Races. As the sun sets, the GMC Rangeland Derby thunders around the track with 36 chuckwagons vying for over $1 million in prize money. Tight turns, vaulting, four-horse harness teams, mad gallops – there’s nothing quite like it! The pounding of hooves and trembling of the ground needs to be felt to be believed. Then, when the last wagon thunders across the finish line, prepare yourself for the Grandstand Show: a variety extravaganza that includes comedy, elaborate song and dance numbers, acrobatics and a spectacular fireworks finale.

The Calgary Stampede also features a vast array of arts and agricultural exhibits, musical performances, shopping, and of course the Stampede Midway carnival which offers rides and games of all kinds for all ages. You will feel like a kid in a candy store as you walk around the grounds! The captivating experience is unrivalled, the excitement intoxicating and the Stampede spirit consumes the city.

The Calgary Stampede - image by steve estvanik/Shutterstock.com - Globetrotting horse riding holidays

The first Calgary Stampede was held in 1912 when the era of the Canadian Old West had just passed. It had mixed success (rain contributing to a lot of the problems), but still drew 80,000 people, which was double Calgary’s population at the time. The Stampede’s visionary, Guy Weadick, persevered and grew the Calgary Stampede into what it is today.,

I’m keen to know globetrotters, have any of you been to the Calgary Stampede? Did you immerse yourself in the Western culture, dine on amaze-balls Western cuisine and get yourself some good ol’ cowboy boots to click your heels and dance the night away in? I can’t WAIT to experience the Stampede for myself this year!

And don’t forget, if you are heading off on our horse riding holiday in BC, Canada in July, a visit to the Calgary Stampede is a MUST either before or after your ride!

 

References: Calgary Stampede and Visit Calgary

Image credits: steve estvanik/Shutterstock.com.

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