Families flocked to the 2026 Calgary Stampede for BMO Kids’ Day as we inch closer to a wrap on the final weekend.
With a free breakfast in their bellies, tens of thousands made their way to the grounds early, pushing attendance to 147,497 on the day. Still, it was down 20,000 from last year. Overall, attendance sits at 891,662.
On the grounds Wednesday, history was made in the World Stock Dog Championships, as the Welsh team of Tim Thewissen and his four-year-old border collie, Kate, became the first team outside North America to capture the title.
They went through the course in 1:28, earning $12,000 in cash.
Meanwhile, at the rodeo infield, Cole Reiner from Buffalo, Wyoming, and Bradlee Miller from Huntsville, Texas, shared the top day money in bareback, both riding to scores of 88.
Noah Lee from Mineral Wells, Texas, stayed atop Special Opps for the full eight seconds, earning him an 88.5 and the day’s top cash prize in bull riding. Nanton, Alberta’s Quinten Taylor hopped aboard Alberta Moon and spurred his way to an 86, locking in the $7,000 payout.
Carlee Otero from Perrin, Texas, continued her hot run in ladies barrel racing, zipping around the course in 16.79 to grab top spot. Macy Young of Wittmann, Arizona, had a scorching time of 2.5 in breakaway roping to lasso the day money.
John Douch from Huntsville, Texas, edged out three other competitors by one-tenth of a second in tie down roping, with a 7.4-second run to nab top spot. Don Payne from Stephenville, Texas, had a blistering 3.7 seconds in steer wrestling to lock in his $7k payday at the Calgary Stampede rodeo.
On the Rangeland Derby track at GMC Stadium, Jason Glass (Birchcliff Energy) went back-to-back nights with the fastest time, clocking a 1:11.14, nearly a full second ahead of second-place Chad Fike (TOMCO Group of Companies).
Still, Jamie Laboucane continues to hold on to the overall lead, with a total time of 7:14.38 after six days of racing. Chanse Vigen sits nearly two seconds behind, with Ray Croteau in third and Glass in fourth.
Big Tobacco had the fastest run of the night in the Enmax relay races at 3:07.20, but the run by Crazy Cree helped them lock up the overall top spot in Pool B for the event.
Leading into the weekend, the Canadian Elite Basketball League’s Calgary Surge take on the Vancouver Bandits in the now-annual Surge 2 Stampede. Game time is 6:30 p.m. Thursday night, and there are still tickets available.
On the stages, Restless Road and Chris Young headline Nashville North, Mother Mother is at the Coca-Cola Stage (9 p.m.), and Everlast is in the 9 p.m. slot at the Big Four Roadhouse.
There’s still lots to enjoy over the final four days of the Calgary Stampede!
