I admit I have a love/hate relationship with the Calgary Stampede.
I grew up in Calgary and I have very fond memories of going to the parade every year and to the grounds as a child. My mother made me a turquoise-coloured western dress with silver rickrack and I had a white cowboy hat with a chin string and a whistle. I was stylin’ back in the 1970s.
When I was a teenager, I wasn’t as into the rides as much as many of my friends, having a propensity to lose my lunch when flipped upside down, but I do remember going and riding some of the tamer ones.
I can remember screaming as Panama by Van Halen - it was the ‘80s - emanated loudly from the speakers during one of the rides as I held on tight to my boyfriend’s arm. It was fun. We ate all sorts of midway goodies and watched the fireworks at the end of the evening.
In the 1990s, I started going to Heritage Day with my mum and dad. They were thrilled to finally get all the perks of being seniors – free admission and free coffee. My Dad particularly enjoyed “free” anything.We’d go and watch many of the stock events.
Mum grew up in Claresholm on a farm and she loved seeing all the animals, particularly the heavy horses.
We’d end our day by seeking out the latest tasty treat in the Big Four Building while we checked out the trade show and the colourful salespeople hawking all sorts of gadgets.
I enjoy the rodeo, though I’ve only been in person a few times. I get a kick out of the very quintessential names of some of the cowboys – only in rodeo could you get away with a first name like Straws or Stetson. For the record, I’m an animal lover and I think there are a lot worse instances involving animal cruelty than the rodeo. Talk to a cowboy and you’ll find out pretty quickly how well treated the stock is. I actually root for the horses and the bulls. I like it when the animals are winning.
But – and it’s often a pretty big “but,” – there are things about the Stampede I don’t like.
I don’t understand why so many young women look upon it as a chance to dress, not in western garb, but in outfits that can best be described as “questionably appropriate.” There are more back ends and front ends on display during Stampede than during any other time of year.
I also can’t stand the crowds. I know it’s a great economic boom for Calgary, but I can do without the stress of being surrounded by that many people. The Calgary Stampede is too hot and too crowded. I prefer to leave it to the tourists.
Disturbingly, this year Calgary Police Services is investigating multiple stabbings on the midway. I mean – what the heck?
Which is why I think I’ll just start going to rodeos in my own backyard. Airdrie, Crossfield, Strathmore, Sundre - all have great rodeos with many of the same athletes and much smaller crowds. There are even the police rodeo and gay rodeo for me to enjoy so why bother with the Stampede?
I also feel like those rodeos will give me a much more authentic experience of cowboy life. Or maybe more of the experience I remember from my youth.
I don’t need the crazy food choices – who wants to eat cockroach pizza anyway? – or the rides and midway games.
But if the Calgary Stampede is your thing, I hope you had fun, didn’t overdose on midway food or too much beer and managed not to have something you’d done while in the Stampede spirit splashed on social media.
Be safe out there, rodeo fans.
