Horse Power with the Heavy Horse Show at the Calgary Stampede
Calgary – The Calgary Stampede Heavy Horse Show returns for its 131th year July 7 – 10. See the beautiful Belgian, Clydesdale, Percheron and Shire horses — the gentle giants of the equine world — presented in all their majesty at the Scotiabank Saddledome and the Agrium Western Event Centre.
It’s been 150 years since the confederation of Canada and heavy horses played a vital role in the development of this amazing country. Calgary has been celebrating the Heavy Horse on Stampede Park since 1886, before the Calgary Stampede was conceived. With roots that go back to the first fair presented by the Calgary and District Agriculture Society in 1886, this will be the 131st year that heavy horses have been part of the annual exhibition, making it the longest running agricultural competition on the park.
The highlights of the 2017 Calgary Stampede Heavy Horse Show are the continued musical stylings of the the members of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra (CPO). The members of the CPO have been performing during the performance classes at the Calgary Stampede Heavy Horse Show for 17 years. The CPO brings a beautiful musical element to the graceful gentle giants that perform at the Calgary Stampede every year.
This year’s Calgary Stampede Heavy Horse Show is welcoming a Clydesdale judge to our bonny show, from Scotland. Ron Brewster is from near Perth, Scotland and will be judging the Clydesdale and Shire horses at the Heavy Horse Show. Ron shows and breeds Clydesdale horses back in Scotland with his family, some of which have been been sold in North America. This will not be Ron’s first time in Calgary, he has represented Scotland in many curling bonspeils in the past. We welcome Ron to the Calgary Stampede Heavy Horse Show!
The Budweiser Clydesdales will be back at Stampede Park this year and the public is welcome to come and meet their gentle giants for all 10 days. They will be performing in front of the grandstand every night prior to the chuckwagons. They will also be performing ahead of the World Champion Six Horse Hitch class on Sunday July 9 at 11:00 AM in the Saddledome.
Brian Coleman, the teamster who has won the World Champion Six Horse Hitch seven times will be back for the 2017 Calgary Stampede Heavy Horse Show. He will behind the lines for Newton’s Percherons from Farmington BC. The six horse hitch that Brian is driving is comprised of all mares and some of which are only three years old.
The Calgary Stampede Heavy Horse Committee would like to invite media to come and meet Brian as well as the largest horse on Stampede Park. This Percheron mare is 18.3 hands high, which is 6 foot and 3 inches at her withers (shoulder). Get up close and personal with what it is like to handle one of the gentle giants that grace the Calgary Stampede every year.