Beautiful weather is keeping the Calgary Stampede on track to meet the 2025 attendance numbers with one final Sunday of action to help make it happen.
It’s a big day on the grounds, with paydays in the infield and on the track today, as cowboys, cowgirls and chuckwagon drivers vie for the top prize of $50,000 in their respective disciplines.
That could potentially drive the crowds down to the Calgary Stampede grounds on Sunday, as the weather once again looks beautiful for a day at the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.
On Saturday, 153,724 people made their way down to the Calgary Stampede, bringing the overall attendance to 1,289,395. That’s about 190,000 short of the 2025 attendance numbers.
At the rodeo, Jacob Lees from Caldwell, Idaho, and Tilden Hooper from Granbury, Texas, took their rides to an 86.50 to split the top two day prizes in bareback. Ryder Wright from Beaver, Utah kept his streak going into payday Sunday, with a 91.50 aboard Suspicious Minds in saddle bronc to claim top spot.
In bull riding, Hayden Welsh from Gillette, Wyoming, and Garrett Green from Meeting Creek, Alberta, both hung on for eight seconds and score a pair of 87s to tie atop the leaderboard.
Hailey Kinsel of Cotulla, Texas, and Kathy Grimes from Medical Lake, Washington, both blazed around the barrels in ladies barrel racing, posting times of 16.77 to split the top two day prizes on Saturday.
In tie-down roping, Macon Murphy from Keatchie, Louisiana, edged out Tom Crouse from Gallatin, Missouri, by a tenth of a second (7.7) to claim the day money.
Colin Fox from Manvel, Texas, went sub four seconds (3.8) to scoop up the top spot in steer wrestling.
Finally, in breakaway roping, Aspen Miller from Santa Fe, Texas, and Madison Outhier from Utopia, Texas, had great runs of 2.6 to split Saturday’s top prizes.
On the track in the Rangeland Derby, Jamie Laboucane (Panorama Advisory Group) continued his strong run, posting the night’s fastest time with a 1:11.01, about a half second faster than Jason Glass (Birchcliff Energy).
It sets the final Sunday showdown, with Laboucane in top spot, Chanse Vigen holding on to second place and Jason Glass in third spot.
In heat 3, according to Calgary Stampede CEO Joel Cowley, there was a crash that resulted in an injury to a horse. That horse was taken away to a veterinary hospital, where it is recovering, Cowley said. That has been the only serious injury to an animal at this year’s event.
Finishing up the Calgary Stampede music is Parmalee at Nashville North (9:15 p.m.), The Beaches on the Coca-Cola Stage (8:30 p.m.), and legendary Canadian band Glass Tiger closes things up at the Big Four Roadhouse starting at 8:30 p.m.
If you head on down, don’t forget to pick up your Stampede lotteries tickets – those proceeds go to help fund pretty amazing community endeavours.
