Behind the scenes of a saddle bronc ride

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Its final Sunday – Rodeo’s Richest Afternoon – with over $1 million to be given away. The best rodeo athletes in the world will take home the 2012 Calgary Stampede Championship and $100,000. It’s a one shot, go-for-broke performance.

There is so much that happens behind the scenes during the Calgary Stampede Rodeo.  What the crowd sees is an exciting ride but it takes sometimes a dozen people behind the chutes and in the Infield to make sure everything goes smoothly.

Here’s  an example of exactly what happens behind the scenes during the saddle bronc:

Fathers and sons: the ultimate chuckwagon rivalry

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Fathers and sons – it’s an ongoing theme in the chuckwagon racing world. If you view the list of entrants in the GMC Rangeland Derby over the years, you’ll find the same surnames over and over again as generations of fathers and sons make their mark.

Troy Flad learned to race chucks from one of the best – his father Herman, who won at the Stampede in 1980. In the last six or seven races of Herman’s career, Troy recalls that it seemed like almost every event the two ended up racing each other. “I loved competing with my dad. The crowds would go wild,” he remembers.

Winning against his father for the first time, he says, was “huge, because he’s your mentor.” On Herman’s side, Troy speculates, “There were probably two feelings – a bit of excitement and a bit of disappointment. At the end of the day, I suspect the excitement outweighed the disappointment.”

According to Gary Gorst, who raced against his father, Art, and whose son Logan is now a top runner, the father in him trumped the competitor when Logan finally prevailed over him in a race. He says the two of them have different styles, but train together in the spring and always consult with each other.

“He’s beaten me enough that I have to have my game face on so I can beat him,” he chuckles.

Tune in tonight to catch the father and son action between five father/son pairs: Buddy Bensmiller’s last race before retirement in heat 1 and his son Kurt in heat 4; Ray Mitsuing in heat 1 and Devin in heat 3; Brian Laboucane in heat 3 with his son Logan right after in heat 4; Kelly Sutherland in heat 5 and his son Mark in heat 7; and the Gorsts with Gary in heat 9 and Logan in heat 3.

May the best man win!

Chatting with Cops, Ziplining with the Famous, Bare Bottom Surfing & Cricket Pizza

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Calgary Police Services

Jovita: We met up with the Calgary Police Services to explore the Stampede grounds together, and get a feel for what it’s like to work at the Calgary Stampede. The officers were on duty in the Indian Village so we accompanied them there. We donned Indian Princess hats and stared in awe at all the colourful outfits. A few of the tipis were open for inspection and we wandered around with our escorts until we reached the CPS tipi. It came complete with unique crest and the promise of an invite to the Indian Village.

Arielle: I asked one of the officers about his experience as a Policeman at the Calgary Stampede. He told me that about five years ago he considered retiring as a cop. And then he moved to Calgary. He explained to me how Calgary is different. Here, cops are a part of the Calgary community; they are appreciated and trusted. As a cop, wearing a cowboy hat around the city is a great symbol of this alliance. He loved the Calgary Stampede and working at it. It was a different pace for him – filled with high excitement and welcoming people.

All this love, respect, and appreciation? This is exactly why I love my city.

Zipline

Arielle: I didn’t think I was scared of heights, but when you are 118 feet above crowds of people about to Zipline over them, I am sure you would panic too. The first time we ziplined was with Mayor Nenshi and Stampede President, Mike Casey, the second time with America’s Next Top Model, Sophie Sumners. Climbing the stairs was a workout in itself, terrifying me more and more as I climbed up each new set of scaffolding. Both times it took some convincing for me to go down (the first time, a shove), while Jovita took the ziplining with ease, even going upside-down.

We had our GoPros going during both rides – videos to come! (Note: There’s a whole lotta of fear behind those smiles.)

FlowRider

Jovita: Arielle and I managed to find time on Saturday to take a quick trip to the beach! It wasn’t very far away, just the beach located in the BMO center, complete with oversized sandcastle and the Flowrider, an indoor surfing machine. We got to have the first ride of the day, which was nice because there wasn’t a lot of fans at first to watch our failed rookie attempts at staying upright on the board. By about the fourth time, I seemed to get the hang of it and managed to do some weaving.

I was feeling pretty good about myself until Dan the demonstrator took over and was spinning around in the water, jumping on the top of the half pipe and riding up and down the wave with ease. Even though I fell a lot, I managed to make most of them as graceful as possible while sheets of water are rushing at you. Arielle was not so lucky. Every fall seemed to get more ridiculous than the last, with the grand finale being Arielle’s bare bottom accidently exposed to the cheering crowd.

Cricket Pizza

Arielle: On Twitter last Saturday, I asked my followers to give me some Stampede dares. One of the few dares that did not have serious repercussions was to eat Cricket Pizza. Now last Saturday, I was game for it. But after an entire week of thinking about the creepy crawlers, I had the jitters.

The worst part? Seeing the crickets face-to-face. Two words: absolutely horrifying. They appeared to be looking at me in their dead state. One even seemed to be praying before it had been cooked.

My first bite into the pizza wasn’t bad, I felt confident! Until I had felt a weird crunch. The cricket tasted like sunflower seeds (needless to say: I don’t like sunflower seeds anymore). After some minor panicking, I finished a good portion of the pizza. I offered it to random strangers… got some weird looks and a few laughs but they wouldn’t try it. I guess their moms told them to never accept cricket pizza from strangers.

A word of advice: if you’re gonna eat cricket pizza, be prepared for cricket legs in your teeth <<shudder>>. Reginald – thank you for the dare – it might have been terrible, but a great adventure.

NGC Twitpic Contest: Day #10

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It is day TEN of the Calgary Stampede and that means it is day ten of our Next Generation Committee Stampede contest.

Today you could win a Centennial Prize Pack! This pack includes Calgary Stampede blanket, men’s belt buckle, and a copy of “The first Stampede of Flores LaDue” (the true love story of Florence and Guy Weadick and the beginning of the Calgary Stampede)

How?!

Well it’s easy!

Today we are asking for your twitpics of The Fireworks. They can be from any of the ten days including the finale tonight. We will also include your twitpic in the NGC’s Time Capsule.

Include our Twitter handle, @CS_NGC and the hashtag #CSTimeCapsule with your photo and you will be eligible to win.

Winners will be notified Monday morning by direct message (so make sure you’re following us!). From there we will ask for your email address (so make sure you check your messages!).

Good luck cowboys and cowgirls!

For more about the Time Capsule Project check out our website

For more information about the contest check out this blog

What is steer wrestling?

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Steer wrestling is another event that we get questions about — questions like what happens, what are the rules etc. Here’s a post and video that hopefully helps explain what the sport is.

Timing, coordination and strength are prerequisites for a steer wrestler. The steer wrestler starts behind a barrier, which is a rope stretched across the front of the starting box that is tripped by the steer crossing the score line (the steer gets a head start). If the steer wrestler does not allow the steer a fair head start, a penalty of ten seconds is added to his time. The steer wrestler’s horse is trained to run by as the steer wrestler reaches for the steer while a “hazer” rides on the other side of the steer to make sure the steer runs in a straight line.

The steer wrestler must grab the steer’s left horn, taking the right horn in the crook of his right elbow and using the momentum of the running steer, the steer is rolled quickly to the ground. There are several penalty rules in place to protect the animal. This event is actually one of the more risky for the competitor - cowboys can face serious injury because of the speed and activity of the sport.

Farming Amongst the Skyscrapers

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BMO kids day started with early bird Jovita going to the pancake breakfast and showing off her newly acquired flapjack talents (thank you Stampede Caravan Committee!). Volunteers from the Stampede and BMO alike flocked to the stations and the families were fed and watered. Jovita met the BMO Junior Reporters, who were big celebrities at the breakfast. They were being interviewed by TV stations, had a personal camera man who followed them around, and even got a special balloon hat from the clown (jealous!). There could not have been a more worthy pair in the crowd, their smiles were infectious.

At lunch time on kid’s day, we went to collect fresh milk for the cookies in our RV. We met Debbie Lee, who showed us the new Alberta Milk display, which has a practice milking machine! We both beat the posted farmer’s time (but may have a had a helping hand from Debbie). Now that we had earned our milking stripes, it was time to try it out on Holstein Delilah. We brought her outside so that the kids could watch as Jovita struggled and Arielle excelled in the hand milking portion. After this we deftly attached the machine and Debbie explained the pasteurization process to the kids. Even though right after we were done Delilah decided to poop on our boots, we both managed to give her some love in the form of nose kisses.

We spent the afternoon hanging out at the Barns with the Calgary Stampede Chuckwagon Committee. Walking through the Shed Rows was nothing short of surreal. The horses were strong, beautiful, and spirited. Arielle felt like she was in the movie Seabiscuit.

(Arielle: I’m not gonna lie – I’m okay with cows, but there’s something about horses that terrify me. I’m pretty sure this one wanted to eat me.)

 

 

 

If you’ve been to the Stampede this past week, you will understand how uncomfortable we were from the heat at times. Well, thank the lucky stars, we found some AC – followed by loud cheering from the two of us.

Bug and Strawberry: the best of friends

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Ask anyone on Stampede Park and they’ll tell you that the Wild Pony Race at the end of the Calgary Stampede Rodeo is one of their favourite things to watch. Ask the same people who Bug Larouche is and they’ll know. The eight-year-old cowboy is famous.

Bug is too young to compete in any novice events yet but he relishes his role rounding up the ponies after the Wild Pony Race. Bug and his trusty pony Strawberry take to the Infield (Bug riding bareback even) and herd the unruly ponies into the back corrals as the crowd cheers.

It was a chance meeting that brought Bug and Strawberry together.  Five years ago a practice pony showed up at the Larouche farm and Bug sat on top. Within seconds according to his mom, Dana, a connection was made, “What are you going to name him?” she asked, “Strawberry” he proclaimed.  Since then, Bug and Strawberry have been rounding up cattle on the family farm and rounding up ponies at the Stampede since 2011.

Bug isn’t the only one in his family who loves the Rodeo.The Larouches have been at the Calgary Stampede for the past four years. His brothers Tiegen (12) and Jace (15) have both participated in the Wild Pony Race in past years and Tiegen is a contestant in this year’s Steer Riding competition.

Bug will be getting too tall to ride the little pony soon but he has big plans ahead. Bug plans to compete as a novice steer rider with the end goal of steer wrestling back at the Calgary Stampede.

The Way we Ride – Midway Style

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The bright lights, the sounds of people yelling to go faster and the excitement of the anticipation of being the next in line to enjoy the thrill. The midway is a large part of the Stampede experience, when I was a kid I spent hours dragging my Dad from ride to ride, eagerly waiting to be tall enough to ride. Now I am tall enough to ride and still love to go from ride to ride to experience the thrill. It’s one of the ways We Ride Together.

*Photos courtesy of Eileen Hopkins

Ka-BOOM Town

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It’s day nine of the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth, and if you haven’t already noticed the explosions of sound and light that reverberated through the city last week-end, you’ve still got 2 chances to catch Light Up The City.

The Stampede, along with its long-time partner TransAlta, has set up the largest and most sophisticated fireworks presentation in Canadian history to commemorate the Centennial year of the Calgary Stampede!

With 4 nights already under its belt, the massive, synchronized fireworks extravaganza will be set off from five locations across the city tonight and Sunday night – at Stampede Park, Elliston Park, North Glenmore Park, McCall Lake, and Winsport’s Canada Olympic Park.

The show starts between 11 pm and 11:30, and will last approximately 12 minutes. The music, with which the fireworks show has been synchronized, is being played on the Corus radio stations Country 105 (105.1 FM), Q107 (107.3 FM) and AM770 CHQR (770 AM). So grab your portable radio or tune in from your car radio, and watch the fireworks as they’re meant to be seen – in technicolour, with music!

And, for those of you looking to see multiple locations from one vantage point: Rumour has it that from the top of Nose Hill, you can see all 5 shows. I haven’t seen the show from there myself, but that’s what I hear.

You can find more information on Light Up The City on the Stampede website, at this link.

The Tenderfoot Trio – Exhalation

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As I wrote in a blog post last week, I have had the chance to show 3 Stampede rookies – “Tenderfeet”, to use the cowboy slang – the ropes over the first half of this year’s Calgary Stampede. From touring the Grounds, to the Rodeo and Chucks, to the Parade and the Grandstand Show, to the midway and the tremendous shows on the Stampede Grounds that are free with park admission… One day was not nearly enough to take in the whole experience. Heck: FIVE days was hardly enough time.

I spoke with our trio of sisters (Melissa, Christine, and Heather) about their very first Stampede experience. Their comments are below.

Joey: So ladies, any initial impressions about the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth?

Christine: We talked about how the Grandstand Show was a major highlight, and on top of it the fireworks show…

Heather: I really liked the marching bands, that was really cool. And the chuckwagons.

Melissa: Who knew that Chuckwagons were so big in Calgary?

J: Did you have any highlights from the parade itself?

C: Seeing the tank doing donuts down 9th avenue. That was cool.

M: It’s not every day you see that.

H: The Clydesdales were awesome, too.

J: I know you got excited when you saw the float for Lake Country, where you’re all from.

C: Yeah! Kelowna, represent! That was Ogopogo, our Lake Monster.

M: He’s a good dude. He has a twitter account: @TheOgopogo

J: Any favourite rides?

C: The swing. It’s a childhood love.

H: I liked the Ferris Wheel.

C: I’m scared of Ferris Wheels.

J: Christine, you mentioned you were looking forward to the rodeo. What did you think?

C: It was REALLY hot. It was something I’d love to come back and see again. What I had in my mind about what a rodeo was, and what I saw, were 2 very different things. It was exciting to see, and I’d love to see it again.

J: Heather, what did you think of the Grandstand Show?

H: It was awesome. The acrobats, and the people doing flips on the bikes and stuff…I think that was probably my favourite part.

C: I thought it was strictly going to be about 100 years of Alberta and cowboys and stuff, but the way it was done was very multi-cultural. It was cool. The Hebei Acrobatic Troupe from China was very cool, doing the tricks on bicycles. They were VERY good.

J: Melissa, you also took in a concert at Stampede. How were the Beach Boys?

M: The Beach Boys were terrific. I definitely went into it thinking they were going to sound like 80 year-old men, and I was totally wrong.

J: What about the fireworks? You said your apartment has good views of 2 of the fireworks sites for Light Up The City. What did you think of the fireworks display?

M: Being on the Grounds and watching them was incredible. I’ve never watched fireworks from directly underneath. For Light Up The City, it was super cool to stand on my balcony and see that the fireworks across the city were totally in sync.

J: Can we expect to see you at future Stampedes?

C: Yes!

H: Absolutely!

M: You bet. I’m a real Calgarian now, so I’ll be there.

10 Questions With…Steve LeManne, Cake Posse & Centennial Team Member

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Centennial Cakes have been popping up all over Alberta this spring and summer with one of our really great special teams this year: the Cake Posse!  The cakes are just one of the ways we’re joining with communities for their local events and celebrations. They’re also sweet reminders to come celebrate with us! So far cakes have been booked for everything from the Rick Hansen Foundation Party to the 100th birthday party of Stampede fan Frances O’Lesk.

I had a chance to sit down and chat with Steve LeManne, Centennial Coordinator for this year’s Calgary Stampede. He’s got a pretty fabulous job- helping to orchestrate the largest 100th birthday party this city (and likely country!) has ever seen. Read on as we get to know Steve a bit better. There are just two days left to partake in our incredible Centennial celebrations, so I hope you are able to make the most of it Calgary!

1. How did you get involved with the Centennial Team, and how long have you been involved with the Calgary Stampede?

I started with the Calgary Stampede as a member of the Showband back in the fall of 1995.  After marching for 4 years, I became a contract staff member with the band for the next 10 years.  At some point I realized how much the Stampede meant to me so in 2008, while I was still on staff with the Showband, I became a full time staff member with the Merchandise department.

The Centennial Team was put together following Stampede 2011. The posting went out in May last year, and immediately I realized how amazing this opportunity would be- that I couldn’t pass up this once in a life time experience.  I applied, and the rest is history.  I’ve been in this position since last August.

2. What are some of the initiatives driven by the Centennial Team this year?

The ideas and planning for some of the Centennial initiatives has been going on for more than 2 years.  The initiatives that we are specifically driving are Trans Alta Light Up the City, My Stampede, White Hat Roundup and the Cake Posse.

 3. Can you describe what makes this year, the 100th anniversary of the Calgary Stampede, so special? 

For me, the Stampede is so special because of the way it unites the community for 10 days every year.  We are a volunteer driven organization with almost 3000 active volunteers, so the community plays a key role 365 days a year. But for that 10 days, the window paintings and decor, the pancake breakfasts, the way people dress…we embrace those 10 days and come together to put on a great event, not just on Stampede Park but city wide.

 4. Do you have some must-see activities for our patrons, whether this is their 1st Stampede or their 100th? 

Every year the Rodeo and the Evening Show are an absolute must.  This year, I’m personally really excited about the entertainment at Bell Centennial Plaza and of course the Centennial Zip line.

5. Could you tell us a little about what the Cake Posse is? Is there a rough estimate of how many cakes your team has served up thus far this year?

Our message this year is “We’re Greatest Together”.  Again, it speaks to the relationship between the Stampede and the City of Calgary.  The Cake Posse is a way for us to go out into the community and help Calgarians in celebration at their various events.  We’ve brought cake to hockey games, concerts, luncheons, dinners, anniversaries, grand openings, gala events and even a few 100th birthday parties.

By the end of Stampede, we’ll probably brought cake to over 130 separate events and given out close to 500 slabs of cake.  At around 85 pieces per slab…..that’s a lot of cake!

6. That sounds like a lot of cake!! Where would one find this team on a daily basis for the 10-day Stampede?

During the 10-day Stampede, cake is all over the place.  We are popping up at various community events throughout the city. We are also serving cake to guests at Stampede park every day when the clock strikes 19:12 at the AG 100 Celebration in Victoria Pavilion. (* Sarah’s note: don’t miss this super special opportunity on park!)

7. Do you have one standout memory from all your years being involved with the Stampede? 

My favorite memory goes back to when I was a member of the Showband. The first time you get to step onto the Grandstand stage under the lights and perform for all those people, some who have come from all over the world to be there….a truly awe-inspiring moment!

8. What do you see for the future of the Calgary Stampede? 

I see the Calgary Stampede continually growing in the future.  And not just the physical size of the park, but also in community involvement.  As a not for profit organization, we already re-invest all of our revenue back into the organization and community, but I see us able to take even greater steps in the future.  The Youth Campus will be prime example of this. When completed, will be the most amazing collection of facilities for the youth of Calgary to be involved in the arts.

9. What are you most looking forward to during this year’s 10-day Stampede?

Being involved in the planning for the past year and hearing about all the different things going on to make this year so special, I’m really looking forward to exploring every corner of the park and seeing what all of our different committees and departments have done to make this edition of the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth truly the greatest!

10. Our committee is putting together a Time Capsule that will be opened 100 years from now. If you could include one item, what would it be and why? 

I would have to say I would like to contribute a Cake Posse name tag or shirt.

Steve, thank you for sharing your time with me during such a busy 10-days of Calgary Stampede! I am going to hold you to that Time Capsule donation! : )

NGC TWITPIC CONTEST: DAY #9

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Good Morning Calgary!

It is day NINE of the Calgary Stampede and that means it is day nine of our Next Generation Committee Stampede contest.

Today you could win tickets to the rodeo finals on Sunday, July 15th!.

How?!

Well it’s easy!

Today we are asking for your twitpics of yourself enjoying the Midway. Rides, games, food – we want it all! Simply tweet us with your picture and you could win. We will also include your twitpic in the NGC’s Time Capsule.

Include our Twitter handle, @CS_NGC and the hashtag #CSTimeCapsule with your photo and you will be eligible to win.

Winners will be notified at the end of the day by direct message (so make sure you’re following us!). From there we will ask for your email address (so make sure you check your messages!).

Good luck cowboys and cowgirls!

For more about the Time Capsule Project check out our website

For more information about the contest check out this blog

What is tie-down roping?

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We get lots of questions about tie-down roping so I thought I would shed some light on what it is exactly.

Tie-down roping is a classic  ranch chore and one of the most competitive rodeo events.  It is one of the most technical events in rodeo requiring a unique partnership with a working horse and excellent hand eye coordination on the part of the cowboy.

The calf is always given a head start and releases the barrier with a breakaway cord when it reaches the end of that head start. If the roper leaves the box too early, he breaks the barrier and will be assessed a ten second penalty.

Once the calf is roped, the contestant relies on his horse to stop as he dismounts on the run to reach the animal, flank and tie three legs. Any unnecessary roughness will result in disqualification. While the roper makes the tie his horse works independently to keep the rope taught. Time is called when the roper throws his hands into the air signaling he is finished.

The calf remains tied while the roper re-mounts his horse and the time becomes official; arena helpers immediately move in to free the calf.

This is a great video explaining exactly what tie-down roping involves featuring two of the world’s top tie-down ropers Stran Smith and Trevor Brazile.

THE ENMAX CORRAL SHOW – TAILS: Three Horses. One Legend.

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A year ago, Michael Barnard was contemplating his next career project and proclaimed to his friends “I’m looking for a new rodeo”.  Two days later, he received a phone call from the Calgary Stampede asking if he would consider directing a unique equine show for the Centennial celebration of The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.  Just 12 short months later, the ENMAX Corral Show “TAILS: Three Horses. One Legend” arrived in Calgary to take us on a magical journey on the tale of the very first Calgary Stampede.  I caught up with the TAILS director, Michael Barnard, to learn a bit more about this incredible show.

Congratulations on such a spectacular show!  Can you tell us a little bit about how TAILS came to be?

When I accepted the job I knew we had a start with an incredible story.  While at Disney, I produced the live show for Pocahontas so had some understanding of the significance of legends and myths and the connection of spirits with flesh within the First Nations community.  I was familiar with the Calgary Stampede, the importance the First Nations played in this event and this theme felt like a great way to unify the two together through a story of 3 horses that bring humans together to form something truly spectacular.  Once the story was created, the rest of the elements evolved to turn into the live equine performance – TAILS: Three Horses. One Legend.

 

Sounds like an incredible journey.  What is the significance of the story to the Calgary Stampede?

TAILS is a story seen through the eyes of the horses.  The shows 3 heroes – Travesio, Liberté and I’pah’ka Pi represent the three ways that horses came to Alberta – from the West, the South and the East.  Faced with overcoming their own unique fears and challenges, the three horses developed an unbreakable pact that they would always be together and in turn unite their humans in greatness as well.  It’s a true unity of spirit and flesh.  Through this journey Trav and Guy Weadick connect with the other people of the land – ranchers, First Nations Tribes, and rodeo stars – to ultimately fulfill their destiny of ensuring The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth comes to life.

 

What makes this show unique?

The equine nature of the show was the perfect opportunity to showcase the animals of the Calgary Stampede.  Horsemanship is, and always has been, at the heart of the Stampede as well as a celebration of the other animals from the rodeo.  TAILS features 35 animals including horses, bison, cattle, mules and a hawk.  The Calgary Stampede has always represented the best of the best in rodeo so it seemed fitting that TAILS ensure the animals take centre stage in a story that celebrates this incredible event that has been 100 years in the making.

The ENMAX TAILS show will take you on an incredible 45 minute journey of equation acts, gripping theatrics and dramatic videography through the Wild West and is presented daily at the Corral at noon, 4pm and 8pm.  2012 marks the first year of the TAILS show and it is proudly sponsored by ENMAX.  Admission is free with your Stampede park entry.

Rodeo living: it’s in their blood

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I have heard stories of siblings going head to head in competitions but I have never met a family with seven brothers who are all professional rodeo athletes. Cody and Jesse Wright are both competing in this year’s saddle bronc and Cody’s three sons – Ryder, Rusty and Stetson - are all competing this year as well. Rusty is competing in the novice saddle bronc while Ryder and Stetson are both competing in the junior steer riding. Cody’s youngest, Statler, is too young to compete but is eager to participate in the Calgary Stampede Rodeo as soon as he can.

Rodeo is just a part of life for this family, all seven brothers are on the pro rodeo circuit and their wives and girlfriends support them every step of the way. “It’s great having my family come with me, you can’t beat that feeling after you have a good ride and you look over and see your family cheering in the stands,” says Cody.  Cody and Jesse compete year round at events all over North America while Cody’s young boys compete between March and October. All the boys have won at least one event and Ryder is the reigning Junior High Bull Riding Champion for the state of Utah.

There is nothing these cowboys would rather be doing “we love coming to the Stampede, the purse is large, the animals are tough and the atmosphere is unbeatable,” Jesse adds. “It’s just a bonus that we get to come here as a family.”

Cody (R) and Jesse (L)