Calgary Stampede | Don’t Miss This
Flag Raising Ceremony – Elbow River Camp
Each morning at Elbow River Camp we welcome a new day with our traditional flag raising. Flags for each Nation of Treaty 7, the province of Alberta and for Canada are raised and lowered each day, to the sound of drumming and singing. Join us for the flag raising at 11:30 a.m. Learn more here.
100 Years of Chuckwagon Racing
In 2023, we’re celebrating 100 years of thundering hooves and roaring crowds – of heritage, spirit and excitement. We invite you to join us in celebrating this once-in-a-lifetime milestone at the Cowboys Rangeland Derby! Races start nightly at 7:45 p.m. and are followed by the world-famous Bell Grandstand Show. Find more information here.
Stampede Showband
The Calgary Stampede Showband was created in 1971 to serve as the musical ambassadors for the Calgary Stampede. The group features over 140 performers who perform year-round and make over 200 appearances annually, including concerts, parades, competitions, special events and marching field shows. Find them performing on the Saddledome STEPS at 1:30 and 8:30 p.m. Learn more here.
Agriculture & Western Events
Catch more Agriculture and Western Events action in the Nutrien Western Event Centre with the Cutting Horse Competition at 11 a.m. and the Cowboys Up Challenge at 7 p.m.! See the full schedule of events here.
Media Advisory – You’re invited: Exclusive media tour of the Sam Centre construction project
The Calgary Stampede and Calgary Stampede Foundation invite you to join us on Friday, July 14, 2023, at 10 a.m. for an exclusive media tour of the Sam Centre construction project on Stampede Park.
If you’ve ever been to Calgary in early July, chances are you have a Stampede story. With over a million guests a year and more than a century of gathering for The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth, the story of the Stampede – and the story of Calgary – is a legendary story. But beyond the well-known and well-loved parts – the Rodeo and Midway, the barns and the tents, the animals and the athletes – there is a deeper, more compelling story at the heart of the Stampede.
When open in spring 2024, Sam Centre is where these stories will be brought to life. Guests will get to play a part and take on a starring role. Guests will take their place amongst many colourful characters, hear different voices and experience the Stampede and the stories in new and fresh ways.
Details:
What: Sam Centre Media Tour
When: Friday, July 14, from 10-11 a.m.
Where: Meet at Doherty Hall, Youth Campus, Stampede Park – see map below. Tour will move to the Sam Centre construction site after a short safety briefing.
Interview & Photo Opportunities: The tour will be lead by Angie Gelinas, Director, Stampede Campus, Kerri Souriol, Director, Park Development, and Dr. Christine Leppard, Manager, Exhibits & Experience Sam Centre. All will be available for questions and interviews. Media is welcome to take photos on the tour.
*Please note*: as Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is required on the tour, please RSVP for the tour by emailing Christine Thompson, Corporate Communication Manager at cthompson@calgarystampede.com, including your shoe size for steel-toed boots. Please make sure to wear full-length pants and socks for your comfort in PPE.
Tristan Horncastle – 4-5:45 p.m.
Mariya Stokes – 6-7:45 p.m.
Dan Davidson – 9:30-10:15 p.m.
Jade Eagleson – 10:45 p.m.-12 a.m.
Drew Gregory – 11:59 p.m.-2 a.m.
School of Rock Calgary – 12:30 p.m.
School of Rock Douglasdale – 1:45 p.m.
Gayle – 8-8:45 p.m.
Stephen Sanchez – 9:15-10:30 p.m.
Jordy Kinjo – 4:45-8 p.m.
X Ambassadors – 10:30-11:59 p.m.
Rodeo
Sometimes two out of three… is just enough. That’s what Haven Meged is saying about his Pool B appearance at the Calgary Stampede. The 2019 PRCA Tie-Down Roping World Champion set the fastest time of the Stampede so far Tuesday when he tied a calf in 7.0 seconds, a day after placing in his first run.
While it looked like he would be the fast man Wednesday with a 7.1-second run, officials ruled he’d knocked the calf down, so there was no money to add. But it turned out $9,000 was enough for him to rope his way to championship Sunday.
“I’m actually riding my wife (Breakaway Roper Shelby Boisjoli’s) horse Little Punch,” explained Meged. “She let me borrow him up here. He’s just young, a 6-year-old who’s never been anywhere. I don’t know why I’m riding him at the Calgary Stampede because it’s a very loud place, but it’s working out,” he smiled, of the rodeo gamble. “He let me win money and make it back to the short round, so that’s what we’re looking forward to.”
With just four days left of Rodeo, read about all the action here, and find yesterday’s full results here.
Cowboys Rangeland Derby
It was an exciting night of racing during the Cowboys Rangeland Derby, as we saw movement on the overall leaderboard. Jamie Laboucane took the quickest time of the night at 1:11.51 – his second win of the week – putting him in the sixth spot after six nights of racing.
Chanse Vigen took a five-second penalty for knocking over a barrel, taking him out of first place overall. The race to the top remains tight with Kurt Bensmiller in first, Layne MacGillivray in second and now Chanse Vigen in third.
Stay up-to-date with full results here.
Agriculture & Western Events
Agile and intelligent stock dogs were the focus of the Nutrien Western Event Centre on Wednesday afternoon for the World Stock Dog Championships. Dogs, at the direction of their handlers, had to move three sheep through a course and into a pen in less than four minutes. Milt Scott with his dog, Bob, from Airdrie, Alberta, was the 2023 World Stock Dog Champion. They won with a final round time of 1:42, which was more than a minute ahead of the second-place finisher. Find the results here.
The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth to celebrate the best wines on earth!
The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth is set to celebrate the best wines on earth with a new annual wine competition. The competition – named the Stampede Cellar Showdown – will be an international competition that will showcase the best-of-the-best in Canadian and international wine while highlighting our community’s connection to agri-food and beverage production.
President & Chair of the Board of the Calgary Stampede, Will Osler, announced the new event to a diverse room of industry experts, restauranteurs and agri-food & beverage producers this afternoon.
“Agriculture has always been at the heart of the Calgary Stampede,” said Osler. “Wine plays a significant role within Canada’s agri-food & beverage industry and we are thrilled to be celebrating the best-of-the-best in Canadian and international wine at the Stampede Cellar Showdown.”
This high-profile competition aligns with the Stampede’s Agri-food & Beverage vision to create inspiring experiences that connect the industry to Calgarians and southern Albertans by facilitating signature programs and building understanding between regional food and beverage producers and consumers.
“As reported by the Government of Canada, grape wine is Canada’s highest value-added agricultural product, contributing over $11.5 billion dollars annually to the Canadian economy. That’s huge, and it’s a great fit for the Calgary Stampede as a part of our world-class offering,” said Calgary Stampede Chief Executive Officer, Joel Cowley, adding, “And, quite frankly, next to a Prime, dry-aged New York strip steak, a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon happens to be my favourite agricultural product!”
The Calgary Stampede Cellar Showdown is open to wines from Canadian and international producers. The competition will take place for the first time in early 2024, with wine entries taken through the fall of 2023. The winning wines will then be showcased at The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth as one of the greatest wines on earth.
Stampede guests will get to enjoy swirling, sniffing, and sipping these award winners as part of their festival experience. For winning wineries and distributors, recognition will also include the opportunity to feature their award-winning wines at retail outlets and restaurants with the Calgary Stampede Cellar Champion labelling.
The Canadian Wine industry will be showcased in the competition with its own class of recognition and prizing.
Learn more about the Calgary Stampede Cellar Showdown here.
Feeding the future: The 2023 Calgary Stampede Agriculture & Agri-Food Reception
Last night, more than 500 industry stakeholders, government officials, dignitaries and value chain partners came together for an evening to celebrate the agriculture industry.
In the midst of our bustling city life, it’s easy to forget the important role that agriculture plays in our daily lives. At its core, agriculture is the cornerstone of food production and plays a pivotal role in Canada’s supply chain and economy.
“Bringing together so many important players from our agriculture industry under one roof is so great,” said Holly Nicoll, Chair, International Agriculture & Agri-Food Sub-Committee. “Agriculture is deeply engrained in Canada’s culture and part of our job at the Calgary Stampede is to help advocate and educate about its importance,” she continued.
Canadian agriculture by the numbers:
• Canada’s beef and cattle industry supports more than 220,000 jobs.
• Alberta produces 835 million litres of milk each year.
• Canada is the sixth largest global exporter of beef.
• Canada produces approximately 1.3 million tonnes of beef annually and 40 per cent of the beef cows in Canada are in Alberta.
From the small-scale farmers cultivating crops to the large-scale industrial farms producing staple commodities, agriculture is how we feed our growing society – helping address food insecurity.
Located in AltaLink Hall in the Nutrien Western Event Centre, you can learn all about agri-food from the experts all ten days of the Calgary Stampede.
Yesterday’s Best New Food on the Midway Judges got a taste of some international flavours as they judged the Best International Food category.
Taking this year’s coveted top spot of the day was the Authentic Pork & Shrimp Siomai from Bestea Bubble Tea.
Immerse yourself in the authentic flavours and aromas of the popular signature Chinese dim sum snack. The combination of time-honoured techniques and fresh ingredients with pork and shrimp make a delicious five-item snack.