Thanks for a great 2008 Stampede! The information you are currently viewing is from this year’s event held July 4-13, 2008. We look forward to seeing you next year. Stay tuned for information on the 2009 Stampede in the coming months.
Tickets for the 2009 Calgary Stampede go on sale October 6, 2008.
Pens of five market ready cattle will be judged and sold. Grand and Reserve Grand Champion pens of steers and heifers will be transported to Stampede Park and sold in the Big Top Tent in conjunction with the final round of the International Livestock Auctioneer Championships.
The Miniature Horse competition arena will bring refinement and femininity in the mare; boldness and masculinity in the stallion. Since the breed objective is the smallest possible perfect horse, preference in judging shall be given to the smaller horse with the most correct conformation characteristics.
Watch over 250 Belgian, Clydesdale, Percheron and Shire Draft horses at their best. Friday and Saturday morning begin with conformation classes showing the best of each breed. Afternoon and evening competitions see these beautiful gentle giants in cart and hitch classes as they step in time to music performed by members of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. Sunday features the World Champion Six Horse Hitch, previewed by the Budweiser Clydesdale 8 horse hitch.
The DundeeWealth Heavy Horse Pull is action packed with the true workhorses in Canada’s premiere pulling competition. Teams will be pulling over five times their own body weight. The Advertisers Auction in the Northern Lights Arena offers businesses an excellent opportunity to become a supporter of a Stampede event and have their names displayed on a team as they compete.
The future of agriculture is showing its best during Stampede. Youth from ages 9-20 compete with their heavy horses, cattle and sheep. They are tested not only on their ability to work with livestock, but their knowledge of all things agriculture. Specialties include Heavy Horse (July 7), Beef, Dairy and Sheep (July 11 & 12).
The incredible moves of the cutting horse will be showcased at this amazing competition with $50,000 added prized money. Each horse and rider team endeavors to cut at least three individual cows out of a herd and work them to display the talent and cow sense of their horse. All this must be achieved in 90 seconds.
Beginning at noon each day in the Victoria Pavilion, watch as local semi-pro and international professional shearers give their sheep a haircut in a head to head timed competition.
The best of the best purebred sheep vie for championship prestige culminating in Trophy classes on Sunday. Presented in the Victoria Pavilion
Watch a race against the clock of rider and horse versus the herd instincts of cattle. A team of three riders must sort and pen three head of cattle from the herd. The only catch – it must be done in 60 seconds or less. The top 20 teams in four classes plus the top 10 youth teams from the qualifier event held off park will advance to the Stampede Competition.
This display of farm animals can be found in the heart of ‘Ag-tivity in the City’ and are guaranteed to make you smile. Cow milking, sheep shearing, farm animal and stock dog presentations will also be featured daily in this area.
The Calgary Stampede is proud to present this World class competition. Many aspects of beef production combine to promote this industry, from the merits of beef cattle genetics to the current trends in beef quality and consumer demands.
Celebrating the athleticism of the horse this competition has roots as far back as the vaqueros in the 1700s. The competition includes rein work where the horse maneuvers through a pattern of figure eights, straight runs, lead changes, sliding stops and 360 degree spins. The most challenging is the cow work where the horse must control the movements of a single steer at a full out run heading it off and turning it both ways along the fence, then bringing it into the centre of the arena to circle once in each direction.
The toughest, most prestigious contest of its kind, the World Championship Blacksmith Competition utilizes the traditional coal fire throughout the event and draws top competitors from around the globe. See sparks fly and hear anvils ring as world-class blacksmiths put their skills to the test in what is often referred to as the “Olympics of Blacksmithing.”
“Unleash the Energy”. Each dog and handler team must herd three sheep through a defined course of barrels and chutes in less than 4 minutes. Can they do it? Finals on Monday (6:00 pm) see the top 15 aggregate score dogs advance and compete for top honours as World Stock Dog Champion
For a complete listing of agriculture events go to stampedeagriculture.com.