Calgary Stampede | Western Horse Review

Six Horse Hitch Title Decided

BREED & SPORT NEWS July 11, 2011

Their secret weapon is girl power . . . though it’s not much of a secret anymore.

“There’s a little good-natured ribbing in the barns,” admitted Brian Coleman with a wide grin. “I always tell ’em to go easy on us, because we’ve got a stable full of girls, and they’ll say: ‘Hey, you take it easy on us!’ ”

The Calgary Stampede’s prestigious World Champion Six Horse Hitch Competition, held Sunday afternoon at Scotiabank Saddledome, drew 14 outfits from across North America vying for the $10,000 top prize. Photo credit: Calgary Stampede

They didn’t . . . for the second year in a row. The Jackson Fork Ranch outfit of Bondurant, Wyo., powered by a sextet of Percherons, had made Calgary Stampede history in 2010 as the first hitch of mares to win the Stampede’s prestigious World Champion Six Horse Hitch Competition.

And on Sunday afternoon at the Scotiabank Saddledome, they defended their title in fine fashion – fending off 13 other rigs from across North America, and prevailing in a four-outfit redrive. Victory is worth $10,000 to the Jackson Fork Ranch hitch, owned by J. Joseph Ricketts, whose family also owns Major League Baseball’s Chicago Cubs.

“We had a couple of young horses that I thought really rose to the occasion,” said Coleman, the trainer and driver of the Jackson Fork Ranch outfit, who’s originally from Didsbury, Alta. “Last year (the ranch’s first with a six-horse hitch program), we didn’t have as strong a roster as we have now. We were working some horses around, filling some holes.

“This year, we have all the holes filled, and it’s a case of making everything work smoothly. We have the talent now; we just want to ensure they don’t make any mental errors.”

Coleman now has four Stampede titles under his belt, after leading the Strawberry Lane Percherons of Oconomowoc, Wisc., to victory in 2002 and 2004.

Second place at this year’s World Champion Six Horse Hitch Competition – the pinnacle of the Stampede’s Heavy Horse Show, presented by Halliburton – went to Red Oak Farm of Kahnawake, Que. Carson Farms and Auction Services of Listowel, Ont., was third, the Rocky Bar Belgians of Esterhazy, Sask., placed fourth, and the Prins View Belgians of Fort Saskatchewan, Alta., were fifth.

“How can you not be any happier?” said Ricketts. “We’ve got a group of magnificent animals. A lot of thought went into acquiring them. And we’ve got wonderful trainers, some of the best. And they work. All the time. Twelve-hour days are not unusual.

“They’re lovely animals. When I see them all hooked up and pulling that wagon, my heart just beats faster. And the people we have work so hard to make them perform well, and take care of them. They call ’em ‘our girls,’ and it’s really something special.”

The next major event on the calendar for Coleman and Co. is the annual National Percheron Show at the Indiana State Fair in August.

For the 12^th straight year, the six-horse hitch final featured live musical accompaniment by the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra – with 38 musicians, led by the CPO’s resident conductor Melanie Leonard, providing a selection of light classics.

A panel of three judges rated Sunday’s 14 entries for conformation, presentation, driving, and reinsmanship. “The judges look for how the horses act as a hitch, whether they move in sync,” said Lorne Hammer, vice-chair of the Stampede’s Heavy Horse Show committee. “They’re also watching the driver. How much control does he have over his horses? You can tell what sort of training he’s put into the horses by the amount of control he’s got to use; some people will muscle the horses, where others are very light on the lines.

“Are they crisp and precise in their patterns, or a little loose? And they’re also keeping an eye on showmanship. How do the driver and team present themselves? What does the wagon look like? It’s not a competition for the fanciest wagon, but care, detail, and attention are important.”

The Jackson Fork Ranch outfit of Bondurant, Wyo., using Percheron mare power, won its second straight World Champion Six Horse Hitch Competition at the Calgary Stampede on Sunday afternoon. Victory was worth $10,000 for the rig from the Cowboy State. Photo credit: Calgary Stampede

The Stampede’s Heavy Horse Show, presented by Halliburton, sees Belgians, Clydesdales, Percherons and Shires competing in more than 100 classes over four days. Classes include cart-drawn single horses, two-horse teams, three-horse unicorn hitches, and four- and six-horse hitches. The affair concludes on Monday, July 11, with breed Supreme Champions and the overall best in show crowned at 1 p.m. in the Saddledome.

The Stampede will be webcasting all events being held in the Saddledome and the Big Top this year. Visit http://ag.calgarystampede.com/saddledome-ustream-2011 for live streaming of Saddledome action, and http://ag.calgarystampede.com/big-top-ustream-2011 for events under the Big Top.

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Stampede Penning Results

BREED & SPORT NEWS July 10, 2011

There are long odds . . . and then there’s a 182-to-one shot.

That’s what two Calgary Stampede rookies, and an old chuckwagon outrider from another era, were facing this week as they saddled up for the Stampede’s 10 Class Team Cattle Penning Competition, presented by Calfrac Well Services.

But after four rounds, and an agonizing wait while the final five teams took their best shot, the team of Fort Saskatchewan’s Will Hanson, Sherwood Park’s Preston Fleming, and Brian Cardinal of Millet, Alta., was basking in victory’s glow Saturday evening at The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.

In saddle, from left, Will Hanson of Fort Saskatchewan, Alta., Preston Fleming of Sherwood Park, Alta., and Brian Cardinal of Millet, Alta., emerged victorious during the Calgary Stampede’s 10 Class Team Cattle Penning Competition at the Scotiabank Saddledome. The trio split a winners’ cheque of $22,263. Photo credit: Calgary Stampede

“Fabulous. Amazing. A lot of people had a lot of luck, but we had to work for everything we got,” said Fleming, who rode 19-year-old quarter-horse mare Blaze. “We never did get lucky. We had to pull every (cow). No gimmes.

“It was just a really consistent effort from a real strong team.”

Class 10 is perennially the largest division in the Stampede’s team penning event, and this year was no different. In all, 182 teams kicked things off with two preliminary rounds on Wednesday at Okotoks Agricultural Society, with the top 20 advancing to Saturday’s action at the Scotiabank Saddledome.

Cardinal, Fleming, and Hanson stood ninth of 20 teams entering the fray Saturday, and laid down a pair of solid runs – 39.12 seconds in that third round, and then 35.57 seconds in the 10-team final – to stake a claim on the championship with an aggregate time of 140.44 seconds on 12 head of cattle. And when the five teams ahead of them in the standings missed their final chance to nail down the title – three scored a no-time, one settled for a time on two head of cattle, and a fifth stopped the clock too late, at 44.76 seconds – the trio was finally able to start whooping it up.

Cardinal, Fleming, and Hanson split a winners’ cheque of $22,263, and collect those coveted handtooled, gold-and-silver Stampede buckles. The only team from the final quintet to lay down a time on three head – Tyler Daniels of Lethbridge, Dave Harker of Coaldale, Alta., and Troy Terry of Taber, Alta. – ended up as reserve champions, finishing about eight seconds back at 148.21 and collecting a runner-up cheque of $14,842.

“We were just hopin’ that our time could stick,” said Hanson, who celebrated aboard six-year-old quarter-horse gelding 538. “We felt that (the final five) had an easier herd coming in, so all we could do was hope and pray. It’s all you can do.”

A total of 182 teams battled for a prize pot of more than $74,000 in the Calgary Stampede’s 10 Class Team Cattle Penning Competition, which concluded at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Saturday evening. Photo credit: Calgary Stampede

Teamwork is key, with all three riders working in harmony to cut out the correct cattle and drive them to the pen.

The Stampede’s team penning event draws competitors from across the western half of North America, with 492 teams registering this year for about $225,000 in cash and prizes in four divisions over four nights of action at the Saddledome. Saturday’s purse exceeded $74,000, including that winner’s share of $22,263.

Hanson and Fleming might have been Stampede debutantes, but Cardinal knows Stampede Park like the back of his hand. More than 30 years ago, while based in Spirit Lake, Alta., Cardinal rode the Half Mile of Hell as an outrider in the GMC Rangeland Derby.

“This is beyond my wildest dreams,” said Cardinal, who shared Saturday’s victory with his nine-year-old quarter-horse gelding Willy. “I was an outrider here in 1977 and ’78, and I wondered how I would ever get back here to earn a buckle from the Stampede.

“You could call this a blessing in disguise. I couldn’t ask for a better finish.”

Two more classes remain in the 2011 Stampede’s team penning competition. The third round and final in the Open class – the highest calibre of competition at the Stampede, in terms of horse and rider skill and experience – are slated for Sunday, July 10, while the third round and final of the 7 Class are scheduled for Monday, July 11. Start time both days is 5:30 p.m. at the Saddledome.

The Stampede will be webcasting all events being held in the Scotiabank Saddledome and the Big Top this year. Visit http://ag.calgarystampede.com/saddledome-ustream-2011 for live streaming of Saddledome action, and http://ag.calgarystampede.com/big-top-ustream-2011 for events under the Big Top.

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Penning at Stampede

BREED & SPORT NEWS July 9, 2011

In saddle, from left, Russell Armstrong of Armstrong, B.C., Bob Armstrong of Armstrong, B.C., and Wallace McComish of Stettler, Alta., won the Calgary Stampede’s 14 Class Team Cattle Penning Competition on Friday night at the Scotiabank Saddledome, splitting a championship cheque of $15,450. Photo credit: Calgary Stampede

It’s easy to be awestruck by an accessory like this. Just ask Wallace McComish.

“During my first year of team penning in 2006, my team finished second in the 5 Class final here at the Stampede,” said the affable resident of Stettler, Alta., on Friday. “And when we were waiting in line at the awards presentation, they handed us the champions’ buckles by mistake . . . said, ‘Oops,’ and had to take ’em back.

“I got enough of a feel of it,” added McComish with a chuckle, “that I really, really wanted one. And I’ve tried very hard to get it ever since.”

McComish’s hard work finally paid off at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Friday evening. McComish and the father-and-son team of Bob and Russell Armstrong, both of Armstrong, B.C., entered the final two go-rounds of the Calgary Stampede’s 14 Class Team Cattle Penning Competition in 12^th place overall, but turned in a pair of great runs – including the fastest time of the night – to vault themselves directly into the winner’s circle.

Through four runs, McComish, Armstrong, and Armstrong posted an aggregate time of 123.82 seconds for 12 head of cattle – and will split a championship cheque of $15,450. The trio of Calgary’s Skylar Hansen, Jens Greimeier of Okotoks, Alta., and Chrissy Santangelo of Nanton, Alta., ended up reserve champions, with an aggregate time of 139.84 seconds for 12 head, collecting the runner-up prize of $10,300.

McComish, Armstrong, and Armstrong catapulted themselves into the thick of Friday’s 10-team final with a blistering third-round run of 20.99 seconds, the fastest on the Saddledome floor Friday. And with the last run of the night, they stopped the clock in 33.06 seconds for a comfortable margin of victory, even while being forced to chase a wrong-numbered bovine, or “dirty cow,” back to the herd.

Russell Armstrong, 21, of Armstrong, B.C., and his 12-year-old quarter-horse mare Mary show winning form Friday night at the Scotiabank Saddledome en route to victory in the Calgary Stampede’s 14 Class Team Cattle Penning Competition. Armstrong and his dad Bob, as well as Wallace McComish of Stettler, Alta., will split a cheque for $15,450. Photo credit: Calgary Stampede

For the younger Armstrong, this makes two championships in two years on opening night of Stampede while riding his 12-year-old quarter-horse mare, Mary. In 2010, he won the 14 Class title with Lindsey Thorlakson of Carstairs, Alta., and Pete Molnar of Langley, B.C.

“Pretty sweet. And this one means something extra, because it’s good to do it with Dad,” said Russell Armstrong. “It was a good advantage coming in 12^th overall, as opposed to ninth, say, because you come in at the end of the first herd (when the cattle, theoretically, shouldn’t be as frisky).

“And we drew up really good. We got about as lucky as you could get (in the third round). The cows were there, and they just kind of came together.”

Russell and Bob Armstrong have won several regional penning competitions together, including one just last month in Kalispell, Mont., but none with the prestige of Calgary.

The Stampede’s 14 Class featured a prize pot of $51,500 on Friday, including the winners’ share of $15,450. A total of $225,000 in cash and prizes is up for grabs over four nights of competition.

“First time I’ve ever won at the Stampede. It’s my first buckle, and I wanted it bad,” chuckled Bob, whose horse Honey Boy, a quarter-horse gelding, is “a kid like me . . . he’s 19.”

Team Cattle Penning, a race against the clock, gives a team of three riders on horseback 60 seconds to separate three specifically identified cattle from a herd of 30 and direct them into a 16-foot-by-24-foot pen at the opposite end of the arena. Teamwork is key, with all three riders working in harmony to cut out the correct cattle and drive them to the pen.

The 14 Class represents the second-highest caliber Team Cattle Penning competition, presented by Calfrac Well Services, held at the Stampede, based on rider skill and experience. The competition began Thursday at the Okotoks Agricultural Society, with 103 teams in the mix, and Thursday’s first two qualification rounds narrowed the field down to 20 as the scene shifted to Calgary on Friday for the third round and the 10-team final.

As for McComish, this might have been his first Stampede crown, but it was old hat for his 12-year-old quarter-horse gelding Mate, which carried Brian Dick of Wetaskiwin, Alta., to a 7 Class title in 2009.

Three teams with McComish on their roster made the final 20. A couple of perennial title contenders, Kurt Robson of Carstairs, Alta., and Jordan Lesh of Morrison, Okla., started the evening with the same great odds, and Lesh, in particular, proved snakebitten in his quest for a Stampede crown. Lesh triumvirates stood first and second entering Friday’s competition, but one scored a no-time in the third round and the other posted a run of 57.94, falling out of contention.

The Saddledome will play host to the third go-round and final in 10 Class on Saturday, July 9, the third round and final of the Open Class on Sunday, July 10, and the 7 Class’s third round and final on Monday, July 11. Start time all three nights is 5:30 p.m.

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Cowboy-Up Challenge

BREED & SPORT NEWS July 8, 2011

It might have been the perfect jolt for Jake.

Six years ago, Tammy Botsford of Chestermere, Alta., bought her Paint gelding, Jake, as a yearling, and the pair enjoyed a pretty decent – if sedate – run in the show ring.

“Western pleasure, trail classes, halter classes, English hunter-under-saddle . . . all really slow and controlled,” recalls Botsford. “He did quite well at it, but Jake was getting bored, and we both decided to do something else. He didn’t just whisper, he shouted at me: ‘I don’t want to go slow anymore!’ ”

By contrast, last year’s inaugural Calgary Stampede Cowboy Up Challenge – the first Extreme Cowboy Racing event on Canadian soil – was like a pure charge of electricity for Botsford and Jake, whose show name is Dez Add To The Assets.

In an event that demands horsemanship and speed in equal measure, before a charged-up crowd at the Scotiabank Saddledome, Botsford and Jake teamed up to win the Cowboy Up Challenge’s first go-round with 96.25 points – qualifying for the 12-team championship final, and eventually finishing 10^th overall.

“I might have overthought things in the second round and the final, but we did have a great start,” reflects Botsford. “In that first round, the pattern just really worked well for Jake and I; it had all the elements we could do well at, and it worked out quite nicely.”

Botsford and Jake are back for more, with the second annual Calgary Stampede Cowboy Up Challenge set to take over the Saddledome from Saturday, July 9 through Monday, July 11. Saturday and Sunday will feature the two preliminary rounds, with 14 horse-and-rider teams. The top 10 in point standings, and two wild-card entries, will return for Monday’s championship final. Start time all three days is 3 p.m.

The winner receives a cheque for $7,000 and a handcrafted Stampede champion buckle.

Botsford is one of eight Canadians in the fray, a number that includes the event’s inaugural winner, Glenn Stewart of Baldonnel, B.C. Six Americans are also entered, including Extreme Cowboy Association (EXCA) heavy hitter and 2010 Cowboy Up Challenge runner-up Robin Bond of Vista, Calif.

Tammy Botsford of Chestermere, Alta., and her horse Jake won the first round of the inaugural Calgary Stampede Cowboy Up Challenge in July 2010. They’re back for another title shot against the heavy hitters of the Extreme Cowboy Association (EXCA) during the Stampede’s second annual Cowboy Up Challenge, which runs from Saturday, July 9 through Monday, July 11 at the Scotiabank Saddledome. Photo credit: Calgary Stampede

Extreme Cowboy Racing, sanctioned by Bluff Dale, Texas-based EXCA, is the brainchild of Craig Cameron, known as the “cowboy’s clinician,” and originated as a TV program in the U.S. It’s the fastest-growing sport in the equine industry; more than 100 EXCA events were held in 2010 from Hawaii to Alberta to Maine.

A timed and judged event, Extreme Cowboy Racing demands both horsemanship and speed, and challenges both horse and rider with an obstacle course that may include such challenges as moguls, bridges, log crossings, tunnels, cowboy curtains, roll backs, and water crossings, among others.

Judges award points for each obstacle, on a scale of one to 10, based on criteria such as horsemanship, cadence, control, and overall execution. Horse-and-rider teams are required to complete each obstacle within a predetermined time period to collect points.

Botsford, who has participated in both editions of the spring Craig Cameron Extreme Cowboy Race Clinic at the Corral on Stampede Park, ended her competitive season last November by travelling to the EXCA world championship at Topeka, Kansas.

An interesting experience, to be sure.

“There’s certainly different gun laws down there, because we got to shoot off horseback in our go-rounds, to try and hit some balloons,” says Botsford with a laugh. “They gave us a little walk-through before we started, and allowed us to handle the gun . . . mine was a Colt .45. I’d never even handled a gun before.”

While EXCA’s sanctioned events in the U.S. feature Pro and Non-Pro riders, the Cowboy Up Challenge will see its horse-and-rider teams go head to head, with no divisions based on gender or experience.

And with the intimidation factor and first-year jitters no longer an issue, Botsford and Jake will hit the Saddledome course at full tilt.

“During that first round last year, I had no clue who anyone was – Robin Bond, Kelly LeBlanc, all the big names from down in the States,” she says. “Maybe that was a bit of an advantage, because I wasn’t being psyched out.

“Who’s this amateur from Calgary, and what’s she doing here?”

After the 2010 Cowboy Up Challenge, no one’s asking those questions anymore.

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Calgary Stampede’s Horse Haven

BREED & SPORT NEWS July 7, 2011

SUBMITTED BY TODD KIMBERLEY FOR THE CALGARY STAMPEDE

They say “neigh,” not “eh.” But in many ways, says Suzanne Spierenburg, the Canadian equine breed is a typical Canuck specimen.

“Definitely,” says Spierenburg, who breeds Canadians along with husband Ron at their Willow View Canadians ranch new Rocky Mountain House, Alta. “No frills. Polite. Easygoing. And great to get along with.”

The Canadian, named the national horse of Canada in 2002 by parliamentary decree, will be on display – as will 16 other breeds of light horse – as Horse Haven saddles up for another 10 days during the 2011 Calgary Stampede. Open daily from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the north end of the Agriculture Barns, and adopting a Western setting, Horse Haven will feature presentations, demonstrations, and plenty of horse sense as breeders talk up their equine companions and promote the breed they love.

Horse Haven, featuring 17 breeds of light horses that live and thrive in Alberta, will feature presentations, demonstrations, and plenty of horse sense during the 2011 Calgary Stampede.

Horse Haven will feature 17 breeds of horse that live and thrive in Alberta – Appaloosas, Canadians, Curlys, Foxtrotters, Friesians, Gypsy Cobs, Miniatures, Morgans, Norwegian Fjords, Paints, Paso Finos, Peruvian Pasos, Quarter Horses, Standardbreds, Tennessee Walkers, Thoroughbreds, and Welsh Ponies. These light horse breeds can be seen in action daily during demonstrations in the Northern Lights Arena and the Big Top.

“It’s really interesting to come see all the different types of horses out there, and the types of things they do,” says Kristin Hack, a vice-chair of the Stampede’s Light Horse committee. “The Missouri Foxtrotter, the Tennessee Walking Horse, the Peruvian Paso, and the Paso Fino are all bred for their smooth riding gaits, so they cover distance in a comfortable fashion.

“The stock horses, like the Paint and the Quarter Horse, are often working cattle horses. The Friesian horse is often more oriented toward driving or dressage. And the Canadian is one of those versatile horses that fits into a few different categories.”

The Canadian, which originated from horses sent to Quebec by France’s King Louis XIV during the 17^th century, earned a reputation as an easy-keeping and extremely hardy animal. Influential in developing other North American horse breeds, such as the Morgan, the Tennessee Walker, and the Missouri Foxtrotter, the versatile Canadian was used for logging, coach transportation, and riding, and was considered the strongest light horse, pound for pound, in the world — with a great nickname (“The Little Iron Horse”) to boot.

The Canadian breed nearly disappeared in the 1970s, with only a few hundred remaining, but has since made a spectacular comeback. “These days, they’re used for all kinds of things – jumping, dressage, carriage work, endurance work. I use my guy as a cattle and trail horse,” says Darrell Dvorak, a vice-chair of the Stampede’s Light Horse committee. “One of the things that makes them so great for that type of work is that they’ve got wonderful minds.”

Spierenburg first began working with Canadians about 20 years ago after the late Alfred Carter, of Winfield, introduced the breed to Alberta. Spierenburg showed Canadians in the Battle of the Breeds at Spruce Meadows for three years, began breeding the animals not long afterward, and has extolled the virtues of the breed at Horse Haven for the better part of a decade.

“I was really impressed by what a low-maintenance horse they were,” says Spierenburg. “It was a big difference from other horses I have owned . . . these guys were so easy to train. No buck, no silliness. They were quite impressive to work with.”

Horse Haven will feature plenty of interactive opportunities, with a larger “activity zone” involving displays and demos regarding horsemanship. Representatives of the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine will also be on hand to make educational presentations.

“It’s focusing on the idea of horsemanship – giving the public an opportunity not only to see what people do with their horses, but what it takes to be able to do those things with their horses,” says Hack.

Equestrian vaulting, a new, must-see light horse demonstration, will take over the Big Top on Monday, July 11 at 12:45 and 2:30 p.m. A combination of gymnastics and dance on horseback, vaulting teaches children and adults to move in harmony with a horse, as well as improving balance, flexibility, strength, and teamwork skills.

The boardroom will also come to the barn again this year at Horse Haven – as The Natural Leader, an Alberta-based company, uses the relationship between horse and handler to teach companies how to build effective corporate leadership, communication, and team collaboration skills. The Natural Leader takes centre stage in the Northern Lights Arena on Tuesday, July 12 at 10 a.m.

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Elite Western Rider

BREED & SPORT NEWS July 6, 2011

SUBMITTED BY TODD KIMBERLEY

The Calgary Stampede’s Elite Western Rider Award, a nod to versatility and accomplishment in the saddle, will be presented to one very worthy rider at the conclusion of the 2011 Calgary Stampede.

From a potential pool of several dozen candidates, the Elite Western Rider Award will go to the competitor proficient and dexterous enough to handle the challenges of at least two of the Stampede’s three Western Performance Horse events – the Calgary Stampede Team Cattle Penning Competition (which runs from July 8 to 11 at the Scotiabank Saddledome), the Calgary Stampede Cutting Horse Competition (July 12 to 14 under the Big Top), and the Calgary Stampede Working Cow Horse Classic (July 15 and 17 under the Big Top).

“As a Western rider, there’s a lot of work involved in just doing one event. But to combine two or three of them, and do well in each, it’s really indicative of well-rounded a rider is,” says Hans Kollewyn, who chairs the Stampede’s Western Performance Horse committee.

“The winner of this award will show a pretty thorough understanding of a working horse . . . in our case, a working cow horse,” adds Kollewyn. “It’s that ability to read your horse. The horse and rider have to be a unit, and flow together.

“And even though all three of these events involve cattle, it’s three totally different concepts. So to be able to switch gears, to go from one into another and possibly a third, that’s a pretty unique set of skills – and worth celebrating.”

All riders who compete in at least two of the three events are eligible for the Elite Western Rider Award, which demands no separate entry requirements, and all competitors earn points toward the title with Top-10 finishes in at least two of the events. The third annual Elite Western Rider Award will be presented on Sunday, July 17 after the Working Cow Horse Classic wraps up under the Big Top, with the winner receiving a handcrafted Stampede champion buckle.

Calgary’s Ron Mathison won the first edition of the award in 2009, placing fourth in the 14 Class final of the Team Cattle Penning and fourth in the Non-Pro Bridle category of the Working Cow Horse Classic on Another Hot Chic. Last summer, Brad Pedersen of Lacombe, Alta., barely nudged out the legendary Les Timmons, of Kamloops, B.C., for the elite crown. Pedersen was seventh on Hicks First Player, owned by Dr. Geoff Thomas of Red Deer, in the Open division of the Cutting Horse Competition, and added a fifth-place finish on Have a Drink On Me, owned by Jim Dobler of Delburne, Alta., in the Open Hackamore division of the Working Cow Horse Classic. Timmons was reserve champion in a dramatic Open final of the cutting, barely bowing out to Tom Lyons of Grandview, Texas, but didn’t place well enough in the Open Hackamore class of the Working Cow Horse Classic to unseat Pedersen.

Brad Pedersen of Lacombe, Alta., is the reigning Elite Western Rider Award winner at the Calgary Stampede. The award goes to the rider who is best able to negotiate the challenges of at least two of the Stampede’s three Western Performance Horse events.

“It is a challenge,” Pedersen said in the wake of his victory. “Cow horses have to be quite a bit more versatile, but as far as going back and forth, when you do it every day, you get into a routine. One’s a cow horse, one’s a cutter, and you get out there and ride appropriately.”

Given the sheer physical demands and the logistically narrow 10-day window, it would likely be a rare accomplishment indeed for an Elite Western Rider Award champion to post Top-10 finishes in all three Western Performance Horse disciplines.

“There is a certain amount of luck involved, in terms of the type of cows you draw,” notes Kollewyn. “But to a certain extent, your better riders are able to increase the luck they’re going to have.

“Last year, as an example, on the Working Cow Horse side, John Swales (of Millarville, Alta.) won the Open Bridle division with a huge (aggregate) score (301) . . . and the reason he had a huge score was that he had a really tough cow, but he read it right, and put extra training on it, per se, when he hemmed it up against the south wall. And as a result, the cow did more of what was asked of it.”

Should no rider qualify with Top-10 qualifying points in two of the three Western Performance Horse events, the Stampede will take all those riders with one Top-10 finish and rate their second-best performance, in terms of a percentile, to come up with a winner.

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2012 CS Centennial Artist

BREED & SPORT NEWS June 6, 2011

SUBMITTED BY JENNIFER BOOTH

The Calgary Stampede is pleased to announce the artist who has been chosen to create the historic 2012 Centennial Artwork and Poster. Harley Brown is one of the most respected and recognized artists in the world. Brown, a native Albertan who now resides in Tucson, Arizona, is a western painter and sculptor of figures and domestic animals. It’s believed the poster, created from Brown’s original artwork will be one of the most sought after posters in Stampede history and will be seen in every corner of the earth.

His father was an amateur artist who encouraged his young son from age seven to pursue art. After graduation from high school, young Brown began doing department store window displays for an impressive $150 a month. He then attended the Alberta College of Art and later the Camberwell School of Art in London, England. He has received numerous awards and gold medals for his art and is an honoured member of both the Cowboy Artists of America and the Prix De West.

“When I was a kid, I didn’t think the Calgary Stampede could get any bigger or better,” says Brown. “By the end of each year’s Stampede, I was left speechless and breathless, and amazed at how fresh and vital they made each new Stampede. I wanted to create a piece that reflected a Stampede that will truly see no end. It is one of the traditions of North America that has such great meaning for all of us. This painting came quite naturally when I reflected on how to capture the past, present and future of this great event on canvas. When I create a piece, I want the work to come alive so I can feel the composition.”

Many factors were considered when choosing the artist to commemorate the Calgary Stampede’s Centennial. The works of several well-known artists were also reviewed. Ultimately, Brown was selected to create the art which will represent the 2012 Calgary Stampede to not only in Calgary, but around the world.

“We are extremely honoured to have the 2012 Calgary Stampede Centennial poster created by a Calgary artist who is a world renowned talent,” says Michael Casey, president and chairman of the board, Calgary Stampede. “His paintings demonstrate his pure talent, heart and love of his subject matter. His portraits are haunting, vibrant and beautiful works of art that touch our souls. We are very fortunate to have Harley be part of our 100 year celebration.”

In anticipation of extraordinary interest, the original artwork will be revealed at an unprecedented unveiling on Wednesday, July 6 and auctioned at the Western Art Auction Thursday, July 14. Western art has been a component of the Stampede from the very beginning – the first Stampede poster in 1912 featured art by Charlie Russell. Since the early 1980s, the Stampede has included a live auction of the best in contemporary and historical western art.

For more information, contact Jennifer Booth, Publicity Manager, at 403-261-0327, or jbooth@calgarystampede.com

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100 Years, 100 Saddles

BREED & SPORT NEWS May 19, 2011

Calgary Stampede Agriculture Program Coordinator, Tracey Foster and saddlemaker Vic Bennett. Photo credit: Ingrid Schulz

For a priceless project like this, Vic Bennett didn’t have to be asked twice to saddle up.

Bennett, one of the premier saddle makers in North America, hasn’t taken on large orders in decades, preferring to produce his celebrated creations one at a time. But when folks from the Calgary Stampede’s Western Performance Horse Committee approached the sublime craftsman over the winter, with a certain centennial celebration in mind, well . . . you might say Bennett’s foot was already in the stirrup.

“That’s the tantalizing thing. It’s very hard to say no, when you’re selected to be involved in the Calgary Stampede’s 100-year anniversary,” says Bennett, whose company, Vic Bennett Saddles, is based just outside Sherwood Park, Alta. “It’s something to think about . . . an easy decision to make, really.”

With Bennett and his two-man crew taking up awls, rasps, and stamping tools for the next several months, the Stampede’s Western Performance Horse Committee is commissioning the production of up to 100 identical Vic Bennett Custom All-Round Saddles — handcrafted exclusively for the 2012 Calgary Stampede Centennial, and available for sale to the general public.

The Calgary Stampede’s Western Performance Horse Committee has commissioned the production of up to 100 identical Vic Bennett Custom All-Round Saddles, handcrafted exclusively for the 2012 Calgary Stampede Centennial and available for sale to the general public. Photo credit: James Hudyma, Hudyma Photography

Never to be reproduced again, these so-called “century saddles” promise meticulous craftsmanship, right down to the Calgary Stampede brand lasered on the stirrup. The limited-edition saddles will be numbered, signed by Stampede President and Chairman of the Board Mike Casey and Bennett, and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity.

They’ll be presented during a Centennial Saddle Celebration in July 2012.

“One of our (WPH) committee members, David Palmer, has said for a long time that we should have a special project that involves saddles. And when the Stampede started asking for ideas to be submitted for Centennial, everything just clicked,” says Karen Mix, a member of the Stampede’s Western Performance Horse Committee.

“Even to be part of this whole adventure, I’m just thrilled to death. We’ve got quite a few sold already . . . a couple of these saddles will also be auctioned off, as well, and we expect a huge response.”

During Super Bowl XLV in Dallas on Feb. 6, both competing National Football League teams — the champion Green Bay Packers, and runners-up Pittsburgh Steelers — received commemorative saddles from Texan producer M.L. Leddy’s.

Never to be reproduced again, these “century saddles” promise meticulous craftsmanship. Photo credit: James Hudyma, Hudyma Photography

Here in Alberta, with members of the public being given the chance to secure their own priceless piece of Western artwork, more than 20 of the century saddles have already been pre-purchased — sight unseen, and purely by word of mouth to this point.

“As soon as we explain the Centennial saddles program to people, the reaction has been amazing,” says Mix. “One lady ordered one for each of her children as an inheritance. A couple of energy companies have already bought them.

“And one fellow told us: ‘If I’m going to buy a saddle anyway, I’m going to buy a Centennial saddle, because it’s a keepsake.’ ”

The Western Performance Horse Committee plans to use proceeds from the Centennial saddle program to reward various champions at the 2012 Stampede. Another 25 saddles, with a different design, are expected to be built and presented to the various division winners of the Stampede’s three Western Performance Horse events — the Team Cattle Penning Competition, the Cutting Horse Competition, and the Working Cow Horse Classic.

To find out more about the Calgary Stampede’s Centennial saddle program, please e-mail saddle@calgarystampede.com or visitwww.calgarystampede.com/saddle2012

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Calgary Stampede Chuckwagon Tarps Sold

SCREEN DOORS AND SADDLES April 1, 2011

The results for the 2011 Calgary Stampede Canvas Auction are in. The total canvas sales are up $874,000 over last year, and individual average bids also showing a strong upwards trend. Traditionally, many view the results from this auction as a forebearer of the economy of the year. Certainly, if that is the case, we’re heading in the right direction. Congratulations to all the winning chuckwagon advertisers and their drivers.

2011 Stats

Total Auction Proceeds: $2,840,000 (2010: $1,966,000)
Average Bid: $78,889 (2010: $54,611)
Top Bid: $170,000
Driver: Kelly Sutherland
Advertiser: YaYa Calgary.com

Thanks to Billy Melville from the World Professional Chuckwagon Association’s for the following report on the auction:

The first chuckwagon canvas auction of the year was held on Thursday, March 31, 2011 at the Archie Boyce Pavilion on Stampede Park in Calgary Albertafor the Calgary Stampede Rangeland Derby. It was a fantastic sale as $2,840,000.00 was bid on the 36 participating drivers, up a whopping $876,500.00 over 2010 totals. It was the 12th consecutive year the Calgary Auction crossed over the 1.5 million dollar mark, in addition to being the 3rd highest total in the 33 year history of Calgary’s canvas auction.

$2,007,500.00 of the total was bid on the 24 drivers that will represent the World Professional Chuckwagon Association (WPCA) at this year’s Calgary Stampede, for an average bid of $83,541.67/driver. In comparison, $835,000.00 was bid on the 12 drivers representing the Canadian Professional Chuckwagon Association, for an average bid of $69,583.33/driver. Defending Calgary Stampede Champion Kelly Sutherland was the high bid at $170,000.00, up $50,000.00 from 2010’s top bid of $120,000.00 for Chad Harden.

WPCA drivers took 14 of the top 15 bids, including all of the top 10 bids. The average bid on all 36 wagons was $78,888.89 up $24,277.78 from $54,611.11 in 2010, with the median bid being $75,000.00 up $25,000.00 from $50,000.00 in 2010. Another bright spot in the 2011 Calgary auction was the low bid was $60,000.00 up $23,000.00 from the 2010 low bid of $37,000.00.

Driver	Sponsor	Amount Bid	WPCA Drivers
Kelly Sutherland	YaYa Calgary.com	$170,000.00	x
Kirk Sutherland	Cam Clark Ford	$100,000.00	x
Troy Dorchester	Country Club of the Hamptons	$100,000.00	x
Chad Harden	The Rug Shop	$100,000.00	x
Kurt Bensmiller	International Eco Fuel Savers	$100,000.00	x
Colt Cosgrave	Plains Midstream Canada	$97,500.00	x
Jason Glass	Shaw GMC Chevrolet Buick	$90,000.00	x
Mark Sutherland	Cowboys	$85,000.00	x
Rae Croteau Jr.	TOMCO/Ranchman’s/ Nabors Drilling	$85,000.00	x
Buddy Bensmiller	Pidherney’s From Start To Finish	$82,500.00	x
Mike Vigen	Hatch Engineering Ltd.	$80,000.00	x
Obrey Motowylo	H & E Oilfield Services Ltd.	$80,000.00	x
Cliff Cunningham	Basnett Truck Service	$80,000.00	x
Jordie Fike	Friends of the Calgary Food Bank	$80,000.00	x
Gary Gorst	Team YYC Calgary International Airport	$80,000.00
Darcy Flad	Purolator	$77,500.00	x
Jamie Laboucane	WestJet	$77,500.00
Jerry Bremner	Walking Eagle Resources	$75,000.00	x
Vern Nolin	BKDI Architects	$75,000.00
Roger Moore	The Legends	$75,000.00
Logan Gorst	RE/MAX Realtors of Calgary	$75,000.00
Tim Haroldson	1525423	$70,000.00	x
Troy Flad	Saucier Construction	$70,000.00	x
Lincoln Douglas	Savage Oilfield Rentals	$70,000.00	x
Jim Knight	Border City Oilmen	$70,000.00
Ross Knight	BNL (1997) Ltd.	$70,000.00
Hugh Sinclair	Northern Patriot	$67,500.00	x
Reg Johnstone	ATB Financial	$65,000.00	x
Wayne Knight	Express Employment Professionals	$65,000.00
Layne Bremner	Friends of the Mavericks	$65,000.00
Shane Nolin	Noralta Lodge	$62,500.00
Rick Fraser	Heninger Toyota / Chickwagon! Foundation for Women	$60,000.00	x
Grant Profit	Pride of Cochrane	$60,000.00	x
Luke Tournier	Auto Touch Ups	$60,000.00	x
Brian Laboucane	The Mavericks Chuckwagon Team	$60,000.00
Ray Mitsuing	Sandlewood Developments Ltd.	$60,000.00

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2011 Stats

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