Business News  Business Roundups   Australia   Canada   Europe   United States  Careers  Classified  Feature Article  Information Technology  New Technology  Education News  World Facts  Book Reviews  Archives/Research Search Tell your friends about this page Receive articles in your mailbox Privacy Policy

Business Roundup: Canada Come and visit Calgary, Alberta Come and visit Calgary, Alberta Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth Free shows and entertainment abound Come and visit Calgary, Alberta Spotlight on Calgary, Alberta - home of the world's largest rodeo Located approximately 192km (120 miles) north of the Canadian/USA border, Calgary is a beautiful city sprawling across some of the most breathtaking landscape Alberta has to offer. Among many of the attractions, the most well known is the Calgary Stampede taking place this year between July 7-16. What began in 1912 as the dream of American trick-roper and vaudeville performer Guy Weadick to start a combined wild west show and agricultural fair now draws over one million visitors annually. Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth Billed as the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth, the ten days of the Calgary Stampede and Exhibition have a lot to live up to. By and large, it succeeds. During this festival the city is filled with people wearing cowboy hats and boots, jeans take over where suits usually dominate. Banks and shopping malls set up old fences and hay bales to turn steel and glass storefronts into makeshift country barns. And the people of Calgary, already known for their friendliness and eagerness to help, outdo themselves in hospitality. The city shuts down its streets to cars and allows the stampede festivities to take over. More than 600 horses kick off a two hour parade featuring a three mile procession of floats, clowns, international marching bands, and performers which delight the crowd of several hundred thousand lining the streets and rooftops of the downtown core. Square dancing, hat stomping contests, gunfight demonstrations and country music also attract a captive audience. The rodeo held in the Stampede Grandstand attracts the world's best cowboys as they compete in five events. The guts and determination of the cowboys is seen as they try to hang on for eight seconds to some of the wildest animals ever unleashed in a rodeo arena. The competitors in the roughstock events - Saddle Bronc, Bareback, and Bull Riding - often enjoy a short ride and a hard landing. The finesse and skill of the timed events - Steer Wrestling, Calf Roping, and Barrel Racing - are countered by the reckless abandon of the Wild Horse Races and Wild Cow Milking events. Free shows and entertainment abound Following the rodeo each day are chuck wagon races in the Rangeland Derby. Originally used to haul camping and cooking gear on cattle drives, the chuck wagons are now a form of top speed entertainment. Drivers perched precariously on the spring-loaded benches urge teams of four horses at breakneck speeds around the dirt track. After the outriders have loaded their chucks with a stove and tent poles, the drivers cut their rigs in a sharp figure-eight around the barrels, which must remain standing to avoid penalties. From then on it's a mad dash to reach the coveted inside rail position as they head toward the finish line with spectators urging on their favourites. Apart from the bull-riding and chuck wagon races there is also a gigantic midway and a casino, full of hair-raising rides and games of chance. Free shows and entertainment abound, and informative and fun displays are also found in abundance. Many of the livestock barns are open to the public and visitors can try their hand at saddlery, rope-making and butter-churning. Spectacular firework displays are featured nightly. Each year the Stampede also features a concert by at least one major musical celebrity. At the end of it all, when the Stampede winds down, Calgarians regretfully trade in their western attire for their corporate suits and the barns are transformed once again into offices. P> By: Rachel Stafford © Copyright 2001. Galt Western Personnel Ltd. Unless otherwise specified, you may reprint this article, quote from it, use it in research or projects, duplicate it or distribute it. Credit of authorship and source MUST be given to galtglobalreview.com. Ownership of Copyright remains with Galt Western Personnel Ltd.     Return to Top      Business News / Business Roundup - Australia / Canada / Europe / United States / Careers / Classified / Information Technology / New Technology / Education News / World Facts / Book Reviews / Archives/Research