Calgary Stampede Thoughts

The Calgary Stampede is The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth. But after many years of attending, I have noticed some changes, and they are not good.

On Monday I was at the grounds, having lunch before the rodeo and met a couple from England. They are from a small farm near Hadrian’s Wall and were surprised to learn that I have been there – twice. As a farmer, he expressed some disappointment at the relative lack of farming exhibits, and spoke with many of the farmers who are there. According to the hearsay, the Stampede is deliberately limiting the agriculture exhibits, as they don’t generate any revenue. “We were told we were not wanted” according to the fellow.

Then, as I watched the rodeo, the announcer did his standard speech about Guy Weadick’s belief that the Stampede needed the participation of the natives to be successful (the speech hasn’t changed in years). While the speech is trite, the thought is true. But does this not also apply to agriculture? As a city resident, I rarely visit a farm, and it is good to understand and appreciate how food is produced. My daughter appreciates it.

Finally, as we were leaving, we wanted to see the art showcase. To get there, you have to go through the “Marketplace” - a vast hall in the Corral full of “As Seen on TV!” signs, selling every type of junk imagineable (lifetime knives, vegetable slicers, plastic shoes, Pot of Gold lotteries, etc.) at inflated prices. While this undoubtedly generates revenue for the Stampede, exactly how does it fit into the idea of The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth?

Another change from years ago is the traditional Stampede breakfast. While the breakfast is no healthy choice (pancakes, pork sausage, syrup, perhaps hash browns and/or eggs) there used to be a great number of free ones in the downtown core. When I first moved to Calgary, we would plot out the free breakfasts each morning at work, and then hit two or three in short order. As I went to one this morning, I noticed lots of breakfasts – and every single one was a “Private Function” (including mine). What happened to the Stampede Spirit? The community and cameraderie of dishing out a breakfast, just because it was Stampede? It is not like the oil patch or the city in general is hurting economically. Yes, there are still a few free ones, such as the Stampede’s at Olympic Plaza, but mostly they seem limited to suburban malls and community associations. What happens when oil prices drop and companies are hurting – will we have a “no breakfast” Stampede?

I hope not!