Friday, July 5, 2013

July 5 – Calgary, AB


Today’s word is YAHOO!!!  It is the opening of the 101st Calgary Stampede.  The city has come together after flooding only two weeks ago that took out highways, destroyed homes and flooded the Stampede grounds.  Calgarian spirit made Stampede happen this year for the world and themselves. 


300,000 spectators, some who spent the night along the route cheered the passing parade.  There was music; bagpipes, marching bands, and karaoke. There were over 700 horses brushed and braided and branded in glitter.  The Mayor and First Responders were crowd favorites after all their hard work of the last two weeks.  Lots of wagons, stagecoaches and even a hearse carried waving parade participants.




After two hours of parade the party moved to the Stampede Grounds freshly cleaned and polished.  You definitely need a map to find your way through the midway with food, games and rides to the grandstands.  What an excellent venue for RODEO!  The cowboys were young and handsome, the bulls and the broncs were large and powerful!



  We saw bull riders fly through the air before 8 seconds were up.  Steer wrestlers found themselves with unwilling stubborn partners.  Something about grab the horns and push the nose...most of the time it didn’t work!  It was great fun to watch and cheer them on, cowboy or animal!


There will be ten days of celebration and competition, rodeo, concerts and even chuck wagon races!  Calgary has shown they can come together with a common goal and present a world class event.

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