Calgary Stampede

Saturday, 5th July

Entering Alberta, Canada, we made our way through Calgary to Cochane.

Chuck wagon races It was fast and furious and very competitive .

Four teams race together .

Teams comprise four horses 2*2 pulling a traditional 4 wheel Chuckwagon and a driver, plus two blokes on horseback . One holds the team for the start . At the start bell the other horseback rider dismounted has to throw the food barrel in the wagon. Then they take off and turn a sharp figure of 8 around a marker drum which occasionally gets dislodged (lose points), the 2 riders have to mount and try and catch up. There is just room for 3 wagons abreast not 4 so it is a scramble to get in front and stay there and they do full circle of the track and often it is a neck & neck finish. During the afternoon there had been a very sharp and heavy shower of rain with hail stones, so the track was wet and the wagons tended to swing into each other so there were shouts from the large crowd as the teams raced out onto the main track.

Our friends John and Leanne Paetkau with whom we have worked in our visits to Ukraine have returned home for their kids’ schooling and live in Cochrane just out of Calgary and booked the tickets. We took the light rail transport to the Stampede as the city is buzzing with people , it is like the Melbourne or Sydney Shows so we went early enough to take in some of the ambience and saw the agricultural building and the magnificent animals being shown.

After the races the biggest John Deere hooked onto a huge theatrical stage about 5 stories high and couple hundred feet long and dragged it out on to the track in front of the grandstand for the grandstand show, called `Canadian Classic’. The Show featured dancing, singing and individual acts. In the centre of the background set was a life size `train engine’. It was rolled out and the participants danced out of it. the train represented the Canadian Pacific trains – it was realist. One of the acrobats did amazing feats on a ring which was lifted up over 50 feet into the air. At one point in his show it seemed he was free hanging from the ring by one hand!!! Many cultural aspects of Canadian way of life were represented. Basketball was invented in Canada and the act showing the skills in basketball was great – eg throwing goals from spring boards. Another acrobat showed skills with a collapsible cube.

There was even a naturalisation ceremony with a new migrant family

The finale was spectacular – all the dancers on stage dancing and singing with fabulous fireworks in the background. Great finish to a great day