Innovations drive progress at Calgary Stampede
The Calgary Stampede celebrates the people, the animals, the land, the traditions and the values that make up the unique spirit of the west.
The total attendance for the 2019 Calgary Stampede was 1,275,465 an overall increase of 4,224making 2019 the second highest attended Calgary Stampede, second only to 2012 Centennial Stampede.
Commitment to animal care
A key part of the event is a commitment to animal care, including continuous improvement through consulting with animal care experts and applying new innovations and technology to support animal care. According the Calgary Stampede: "The Calgary Stampede is proud of its connection with animals. Treating them with respect and care is part of how the event aims to celebrate western heritage and values. Throughout the year more than 7,500 animals take part in our many competitions, exhibitions and educational programs."
In the spirit of continuous improvement, the Calgary Stampede looks to the advice of experts and the latest in science to better understand animal behavior, response and performance related to western events. Throughout the year the Calgary Stampede consults with professional veterinary advisors, an independent Animal Care Advisory Panel of industry experts, world-class researchers and many other experts in livestock care, health and handling.
As a result, the event's Fitness to Compete program is considered one of the most comprehensive animal care programs in North America and the Stampede makes an ongoing effort to share its learnings with other fairs, rodeos and exhibitions.
The Calgary Stampede takes a disciplined approach to animal care, focused on meeting three distinct standards:
One. The regulations set out in Alberta's Animal Protection Act. These regulations are monitored by the Calgary Humane Society and Alberta SPCA year-round;
Two. The codes of best practices for each animal species as recommended by Canada's industry experts and the Stampede's Animal Care Advisory Panel; and
Three. The Stampede's own animal care code of practice. During the Calgary Stampede, a team of veterinarians is on site day and night to ensure the best possible care is available.
The Stampede's strict adherence to Alberta's Animal Protection Act also means the Calgary Humane Society and Alberta SPCA have all-access privileges to Stampede Park.
Highlights of 2019 competition results
Rangeland Derby. Logan Gorst accomplished what he set out to do.The 37-year-old reinsman from Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan, won his first championship Dash For Cash at the 2019 GMC Rangeland Derby on Sunday.
“It sounds beautiful,” said Gorst of being crowned as the Rangeland Derby champion.Gorst also won the Richard Cosgrave Memorial Trophy and a new GMC truck on Friday for finishing atop the aggregate standings through the first eight days of racing action.
“I can’t say enough about my family, horses and everything,” he said. “Everything worked out. I never imagined it working out this week. I don’t even know what to say.” Gorst raced around the Stampede track in a time of 1:10.87 to edge out Todd Baptiste of Cando, Saskatchewan, by .43 of a second to take first place and the $100,000 top prize.
"What a roller-coaster, I tell you what," Gorst told the Stampede Grandstand crowd after his victory. "My outriders here — Chance Flad, who rode all 10 days, Casey Knight and Brendan Nolin each rode five days and crushed it. I couldn't be more happy with them.
"And thanks to my family — my wife and my kids — it's great."
Gorst’s father-in-law Luke Tournier of Duck Lake, Saskatchewan, who won Rangeland Derby titles in 2005 and 2007, finished in third place in a time of 1:11.42 to win $15,000.
“Hats off to Luke Tournier,” said Gorst, who commended Tournier for making a great turn to get out in front of him briefly before he sped up to grab the rail. “He just about got me. That is one heck of a turn because I was not going slow.”
Vern Nolin, who finished fourth in the championship dash in both 2015 and 2016, had to settle for another fourth place finish and winning $10,000.
Gorst commended his horses – right leader Jack, left leader Idol, right wheeler Tommy and left leader Image – for their tremendous performance in the final.
“They were ready,” he said. “You could just feel it. They had a lot of energy. They just exploded.”
He said Idol has a special place in his heart because he was one of the first horses he bought as a five year old.
“He’s 17 years old now,” Gorst said. “Think of that. In human years, that’s just about 50 years old and he’s still performing at that level.”
Off barrel two in the seventh heat, Kris Molle posted Sunday night’s fastest time (among drivers not in the championship dash) of 1:11.29 to win $6,000 in day money.
BJ Carey won the fourth heat in 1:11.35 to finish second overall on the night to win $5,200. Ross Knight had the evening’s second fastest running time (.04 behind Gorst) in the eighth heat, but he was assessed a one-second penalty for having a late outrider. His overall time of 1:11.91 still stood up to put him in third spot and he took home $4,600 in prize money.
Heavy Weight Division of the Heavy Horse Pull. It came down to the wire but the heaviest horses won.Lumsden, Saskatchewan’s teamster Ron Sebastian and his horses Mark and Jeff hooked their way to a big win at the 2019 Calgary Stampede Heavy Horse Pull in the Heavy Weight Division Sunday night with a 13,000 lbs full pull, edging out Randy Dodge of Albany, Oregon who capped off with a 73” pull at 13,000 lbs.
And the Sebastian team almost broke the heavyweight record of 13,300 lbs, too. “My heart is in a flutter, I have to take it easy for a few minutes,” he said after attempting a new heavy weight record with a 13,400 lbs pull, falling short of a full pull.
“I thought I may as well go for the record at my age. Thought maybe I would get lucky. It was kind of a bad spot but I wanted to try it.” Sebastian’s horses, Mark and Jeff, weighed the most in the division at 4,596 lbs, and the duo made 11 pulls together.
“They’re still young and I love them. Mark is kind of a cheater, but tonight he overlooked everything and put out all he could.” In the Stampede’s Heavy Horse Pull, teams in three weight classes pull weighted sleds — up to more than five times the horse’s body weight — up to 14 feet, known as a “full pull.” The Grand Champion in each class receives $3,000; the Reserve Champion $2,500, with a sliding scale of payouts for the rest of the field.
There were eight competitors total in the Heavy Weight Division that took place Sunday in the Western Nutrien Event Centre. The full competition with classes for Light, Middle and Heavy Weights were spread over three nights. Sebastian has been in the industry for 40 years and has 19 championship wins under his belt. In fact, he’s hoping to make it 20 in 2020, though he will have to go through Sunday’s Reserve Champion and perennial contender, Dodge, who has won the heavyweight class 16 times.
“Randy is probably one of the best in north America and the young guy Curtis, he is right there, too,” Sebastian added. Dodge was equally complimentary of Sebastian. “Ron’s tough, he’s always tough. He’s got good horses and they’re well kept; he’s a good teamster,” Dodge said, after collecting his Reserve Champion ribbon.
“It feels good. For the Calgary Stampede, the top three or top four is always really good here. That’s the biggest crowd I’ve seen in there.” Ironically, it was Dodge who finished as Grand Champion on Saturday in the Middle Weight Division and Sebastian who placed as Reserve Champion. Dodge finished with a full pull at 12,000 lbs while Sebastian finished with 133” at the 12,000 lbs weight.
On Friday, Travis house of Wheatland, North Dakota took the Lightweight Division with an 11,000 lbs 99” pull.
Chuckwagon races. During the chuckwagon races on Sunday, July 14, the right lead horse on the wagon of Evan Salmond sustained a running injury. An immediate veterinary assessment determined the horse had a fractured left hind cannon bone. As a result of that event, two other horses on the wagon team sustained serious injuries. They were cared for immediately on the track and we are saddened to report that the veterinary medical team determined there was no option for treatment. All three horses were euthanized.
The Calgary Stampede issued this statement: "This is as upsetting to us as it is to our community, and is challenging for us. The Stampede’s commitment to the safety of animals and the conditions of their participation in our events is paramount to our values and brand integrity. We will continue to be open in our communication with our community.
"In light of these events, we are committed to initiating a thorough review process surrounding chuckwagon safety. At this time we don’t know what form that process will take, and we ask for your patience and understanding."