Calgary Stampede

Get ready for the greatest superstars in wrestling to square off at the Calgary Stampede on Saturday, July 15 at 5 p.m., in what will be an unforgettable evening as All Elite Wrestling (AEW) brings its best contenders and biggest rivalries to their newly televised series AEW Collision in the Scotiabank Saddledome. Get your tickets here.

Check out the Agriculture Zone presented by Brandt. Experience a combination of demonstrations, hands-on experiences, interactions with animals and agriculture and western events. Showcases include Miniature Donkeys, Sheep, Pork, Horse Haven, and more. Find more information here.

The Calgary Stampede Heavy Horse Pull is the ultimate in strength competitions. Watch some of the biggest and strongest horses in the world as they compete pulling more than five times their body weight a distance of 14 feet. See these beautiful animals in the Nutrien Western Events Centre at 7 p.m. Learn more here.

There is so much to see and do in the Nutrien Western Event Centre! Today’s featured events are the Canadian National Miniature Horse Show at 11 a.m., the International Livestock Auctioneer Finals at 11:30 a.m. and the Heavy Horse Pull at 7 p.m. See the schedule here.

Tristan Horncastle – 4-5:45 p.m.Mariya Stokes – 6-7:45 p.m.James Barker Band – 10-11:30 p.m.Drew Gregory – 11:59 p.m.-1:45 a.m.

Mauvey – 12:30-1:15 p.m.Ikky – 1:45-2:30 p.m.Capozzi – 7:45-8:15 p.m.Keys N Krates – 8:15-9 p.m.NGHTMRE – 9-10 p.m.Zeds Dead – 10:45-11:45 p.m.

Jory Kinjo – 4:45-8 p.m.Koffee – 10:30-11:45 p.m.

Playing through pain is part of the game in rodeo. It paid off Friday for Dawson Hay at the Calgary Stampede, when he spurred to an 86-point ride on Calgary’s Yuppie Bubbles for the saddle bronc riding victory and $7,000.

“I’ve been on that horse before, and I went X and 5,” explained Hay of his rein length. “The last trip I had on her was actually the same amount of points, but I think she was better today. She stayed hooked for the whole eight seconds,” Hay said.

With only two days of Rodeo left you don’t want to miss out on the action. Read more highlights of yesterday’s rodeo here and see the full results here.

Chanse Vigen was once again gunning for the top of the leaderboard, as he came in with the smokin’ hot fast time of the night at 1:11:03.

Layne MacGillivray and Kurt Bensmiller were able to hold steady, however, at the top of the overall leaderboard with the second and third fastest times of the night. So far Bensmiller remains in first as we head into the final weekend of the Cowboys Rangeland Derby.

Stay up-to-date on all results of the night here.

The pure athleticism of the horses was on display in the Agriculture Zone on Friday.

After a 3-year hiatus, the Calgary Stampede Working Cow Horse Spectacular returned to the Nutrien Western Event Centre. Top NRCHA (National Reined Cow Horse Association) riders and horses showcased their speed, courage and finesse while highlighting their skills in rein and fence work. The winners were as follows (listed by horse & rider):

Youth Boxing: Coasting the Stars | Waylon McArthurNon-Pro Boxing: Jac Daniels Or Cash | Jennifer DovellOpen Hackamore: Dinero King | Kent WilliamsonNon-Pro Bridle: Genuine Red Sparkle | Suzon SchaalOpen Bridle: Smart Twisted Cat | John Murphy

Later, the first evening of the Heavy Horse Pull was kicked off, which showcases the strength of some of the biggest and strongest horses in the world. These teams of two horses, along with the guidance of their teamster, work together to pull more than five times their weight a distance of at least 14 feet. Friday evening showcased the Light Weight Division and the team of Barney & Dewey owned by Cody Krueger went home with the win by pulling 10,500 lbs. for a distance of 99.5 inches.

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.

It’s an underdog story, a never-should-have-happened story. A story of champions and challengers. Royalty and regular folk. Mythology and reality. Over the years it’s been shared in many ways – written, whispered, spoken, sung, filmed and photographed – from the Big Screen to the smallest screens.

It’s about who we are, and who we want to be. Where we’re from and where we’re going. It’s about why all this happened, and what happens next. It’s a story that could only take place here. And can only be told here.

When open in spring 2024, Sam Centre is where these stories will be brought to life. Guests will play a part and take on a starring role in their place amongst many colourful characters. They will hear different voices and experience the Stampede and the stories in new and fresh ways.

Sam Centre construction is progressing quickly – the foundation piling was started in October 2022, and completed in November 2022, with the concrete foundation fully poured by February 2023. April saw the completion of the installation of all underground plumbing and electrical, and the beginning of the glulam and steel structure installation, which was later completed in June. Exterior wall framing, roof deck installation and hard landscaping are all in the works this July, and in August, we will reach our next big construction milestone, with the building fully weathertight by the end of the month.

Learn more about Sam Centre here.

Yesterday afternoon, Theresa Howland, Vice-President, Sponsorship, Marketing & Employee Services, and Graeme Ryder, Vice-President, Business Services & Chief Financial Officer, hit the Midway for their second annual spicy Midway food competition! They know what it takes to run The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth, but can they handle the heat and the daring foods the Midway has to offer?

The rules were simple, whoever could eat the most of each food item won bragging rights until next year’s showdown.

The competition started with the Flamin’ Hot Dill Pickle Cookie from Covet Sips & Sweets, which coincidentally ended up being Graeme’s least favourite. It was truly a sight to watch him trying to keep up with Theresa at the beginning of the competition. Next up on the taste test was the Spicy Pickle Lemonade from Drink a Fruit from a Fruit, and once again Theresa rose to the challenge and chugged hers while Graeme was struggling to take his first sip.

Third (and what they thought would be the last), was the Flamin’ Hot Popcorn Chicken Poutine from Steve-O’s Homestyle Fried Chicken, which turned out to be the favourite amongst both competitors. By the looks of it, they both could’ve finished the entire thing.

But – we couldn’t forget dessert! Just when they thought it was over, we surprised them with Ketchup and Mustard ice cream to finish off the competition. They both tried each flavour with a smile on their face!

After careful deliberation from a team of obviously highly qualified judges, it was clear that Theresa Howland took the victory for a second year in a row – better luck in 2024 Graeme!

Head into the Nutrien Western Event Centre and check out the 3-year-old Landrace/York cross sow and her 12 piglets on display.

Barry Van Laar has been volunteering to help educate visitors about swine with the Calgary Stampede for over 20 years.

“I enjoy meeting people and showing them what we produce and how we produce it,” Van Larr said. “There is more to swine than just pork to eat, it’s produced into byproducts for other consumer needs like toothpaste, gum, makeup and medications.”

Van Laar explained that pigs can have litters of 12-14 piglets every 5 months and they grow quickly – doubling in size from birth in just 11 days. The sow controls when the piglets are able to nurse by making grunting sounds, signalling to the litter it’s time to eat. The piglets have a hierarchy and always nurse from the same spot at feeding time.

“The milk only comes when the sow is stimulated by the piglets nursing, the milk is then released and the piglets have 20 seconds to drink it up,” he explained. “You snooze you lose.”

Guests attending the Calgary Stampede are encouraged to guess the weight of one of the piglets (the piglet with the brown nose is being weighed daily). Guesses by visitors are then entered to win a prize pack from the Calgary Stampede and Alberta Pork. It would be ‘swine’ to see you stop by the pork exhibit to learn more about hogs and take a guess at the piglet’s weight for Day 9 of the Calgary Stampede.

Are you in search of the Best Beverage on the Midway?

Look no further! The food judges of The Best New Food on the Midway competition put in the leg work and came up with a winner – the Green Machine smoothie from Juice Smoothie Shoppe.

Indulge in the kale, mango, pineapple and banana Green Machine and embark on a journey of nourishment and pure enjoyment. With every sip, you’ll feel the revitalizing power of this invigorating elixir, as the harmonious fusion of wholesome ingredients nourishes your body and leaves you feeling refreshed.