What is the Calgary Stampede? | The Sun

YOU might be wondering what the iconic Calgary Stampede is.

Here's everything you need to know about the event which bills itself as "The Greatest Outdoor Show On Earth".

What is the Calgary Stampede?

The famed Calgary Stampede is an annual rodeo, exhibition and festival that takes place every July in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

The ten-day, fun-packed, event which calls itself "The Greatest Outdoor Show On Earth" attracts over one million visitors per year and in 2008, the festival was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall Of Fame.

The exhibition aspect of the Calgary Stampede was founded 137 years ago, in 1886, when the Calgary and District Agricultural Society held its first fair.

Then in 1912, American promoter Guy Weadick organized his first rodeo and festival, known as the Stampede.

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Weadick's festival became an annual event in 1923 when it merged with the Calgary Industrial Exhibition to create the Calgary Exhibition and Stampede.

Organized by thousands of volunteers and supported by civic leaders, the event has grown into one of the world's richest rodeos, one of Canada's largest festivals, and a significant tourist attraction for the city.

Calgary's national and international identity is tied to the event as it is widely referred as the "Stampede City" and even carries the nickname of "Cowtown".

The local Canadian Football League team has followed in suit and is called the Stampeders.

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What events take place in the Calgary Stampede?

During the Calgary Stampede office buildings and storefronts are painted in cowboy themes, residents don western wear, and events held across the city include hundreds of pancake breakfasts and barbecues.

The event features one of the world's largest rodeos, a parade, midway, stage shows, concerts, agricultural competitions, chuckwagon racing and First Nations exhibitions.

The parades serve as the official opening of the Stampede and begins just before 9am on the first Friday of the event.

The event features dozens of marching bands, over 150 floats and hundreds of horses with entrants from around the globe – while combining traditional western themes with modern ones.

Who has won the Calgary Stampede and what is the prize?

There have been a number of winners of the Calgary Stampede over the years, with just one lucky champion announced annually.

Champions are split into categories which consist of Saddle Bronc Riding, Bareback Riding, Bull Riding, Tie-Down Riding, Steer Wrestling, Barrel Racing and Team Roping.

Last years winners consisted of Logan Hay, from Canada, Rocker Steiner, from Texas, Shane Proctor, from Washington, Caleb Smidt, from Texas, Will Lummus, from Mississippi, Kassie Mowry, from Texas, and Clint Summers, from Texas.

The first go-round winner of the 2023 Calgary Stampede was bareback champion from 2021 – Tim O’Connell, of Zwingle, Idaho.

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O’Connell achieved the $7,000 first-day payday.

The prize for winning the Calgary Stampede of  $100,000 to the winner of each major discipline and $1,000,000 total on championship day alone – making it the rodeo with the richest pay-out to winners.

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