Latest news with #TheGreatestOutdoorShowonEarth
Calgary Herald
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Calgary Herald
Day 8 at the Calgary Stampede rodeo: Kassie Mowry recaptures barrel racing record
Article content Just ask Kassie Mowry and fellow barrel racers at the Calgary Stampede. Article content Article content But again and again and again in the same week? Article content And counting. Article content 'Watching it through the whole week, I was fortunate to be at the end (of Friday's round),' said Mowry moments after posting the fastest barrel-racing run ever — 16.74 seconds — at the Calgary Stampede. 'I could see that the grounds have been just really fast and really consistent. So I was excited. Article content Article content 'These guys are doing an amazing job with the ground.' Article content Article content And the racers and their rides are doing an amazing job getting around the cloverleaf. Article content Mowry previously held the arena record — at 16.82 — on her way to being crowned Stampede champion in 2022. Article content That standard stuck until Day 3 of this year's edition of 'The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth', when it was twice broken — by Oklahoma's Emily Beisel and Idaho's Anita Ellis. 'I was watching, so I knew she did it,' said Mowry, of Ellis setting that time to beat — 16.79 — last Sunday. 'And that's a great horse (Axe) she's got. Article content 'When she lays one down, it's hard to beat. I knew that.' Article content But Mowry did it on the second day of Pool C competition, barrelling around the cloverleaf in a best-ever trip. Article content Fellow Texan Hailey Kinsel wasn't far behind with a 16.84 run, also one of the five fastest trips ever at the Stampede. Her runner-up money of $5,500 keeps her in top spot ahead of Mowry's $10,250 heading into Saturday's final day of Pool C. Third on the three-day money-total list from the pool is another Stampede veteran in Oklahoma's Leslie Smalygo, with $8,750. Article content Article content And that in itself is quite the who's-who list of champions here — Smalygo is the reigning queen, Mowry won it in 2022 and Kinsel was the Stampede champ in 2018. Article content Article content Throw in the new threat of Stampede rookie Ellis, who went sub-17 in all three Pool A rounds to win all three days for a whopping $21,000, and Pool B winner Carlee Otero — a hungry veteran at this rodeo — and Showdown Sunday is shaping up to be a darn fine championship day. Article content 'Yeah … I guess this is just going to be back and forth, and we'll just see how it goes,' added Mowry. 'I feel like the way it's heating up, the record might get broken again before this is over. Article content 'I feel like my horse gets to show what he's capable of here at Stampede,' added Mowry, continuing to praise the grounds crew in Calgary. 'I love that it showcases all these horses. For them to do that, they love their job and they're trying to work for us. And it makes it so much fun to be on a team with them.'
Calgary Herald
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Calgary Herald
RODEO NOTES, Day 7: Veteran roper Marty Yates off to fast start in bid for first Calgary Stampede crown
Marty Yates is on the who's-who list of cowboys at the Calgary Stampede. Article content The one highlighting past rodeo champions. Article content 'Absolutely … that's something I'd like to change here this year,' said Yates, a 31-year-old tie-down roper who's been coming annually to 'The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth' since way back in 2015. Article content Article content 'I've been here a lot, and it's been a long time since I got a good start and won the first round.' Article content Article content That changed Thursday for the veteran roper who's a fixture at the Stampede. Article content Yates was quick enough to post a 7.1-second score to win the day-money — $7,000 — and get off to that elusive strong start. Article content 'That doesn't necessarily guarantee you a spot in the finals, but it gives you a very good step in that direction,' said Yates, of Stephenville, Texas. 'If you don't place in the first round, it's just kind of hard to climb back up out of that. But if you win the first round, usually everything starts going into place and you have a lot better luck in the next two rounds. Article content 'Setting the tone means everything. It doesn't matter which rodeo you're at. If you start off good and usually you have some confidence to build on there. It's just hard to go the other way around. When it don't go good, and then you're trying to work from nothing. So just look forward to going to more good calves and having a good week.' Article content Article content It's been a good year for Yates, who is in and out of the top 10 depending on what day of the week it is in the highly competitive tie-down world. Article content But he's noticed a particular upturn in his fortunes since he acquired a new mount in Snoop in early April. Article content 'Yeah … he's pretty new,' Yates said. 'I knew the guy really well that owned him. He moved to Texas this spring and brought that horse down there, and some guys told me about him, and it's just been a great fit ever since. Article content 'He's only six years old, but he's very secure in his mind and in his body, for sure. I've had many young horses over the years, and he's just been very good for me. He's awesome. Article content 'We've hauled him all over the country already so far, and he doesn't seem to care about any of it. It's just been fun.
Calgary Herald
10-07-2025
- Sport
- Calgary Herald
Day 6 at the Calgary Stampede Rodeo: Saddle-bronc finale setting up to be a 'salty' one
Article content Saddle up and hold on tight, Calgary. Article content The bronc bustin' is shaping up to be a who's-who for the $50,000 champion's cheque at 'The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth'. Article content Article content A few champions from past Calgary Stampedes have already punched their tickets to the big saddle-bronc dance on Showdown Sunday. Article content And the promise of a few more earning spots to the finale is still in the chutes. Article content Article content 'It should be good bronc ridin' Sunday,' promised Alberta cowboy Zeke Thurston, with three more days on tap — and three more showdown berths on the line — in the high-profile rough-stock event. Article content Article content 'The cream always rises to the top in our event,' continued Thurston, of Big Valley, Alta. 'It don't matter if you're here or at the National Finals Rodeo. Like Championship Sunday here is going to look like a round at the NFR. It's going to be the best-of-the-best guys. That's kind of how these deals work. Article content 'It'll be salty bronc ridin'.' Thurston himself is a three-time Stampede king, having won a trio of consecutive titles from 2015-17. Article content He's through to this year's final day after coming out of Pool B action Wednesday with the top money from 10 cowboys through three rounds. His 86 points aboard Turf Wars on Day 3 of the pool gave him $4,500 from the round for a $14,416 total. Article content Article content He got that by scoring high all three days, including a 90.5 on Monday's first day of the pool and an 88.5 during Tuesday's second round. Article content 'I've actually had a really good year,' said Thurston, who is joined in advancing from Pool B to Showdown Sunday by New Mexico's Zachary Dallas ($12,000) and Australia's Damian Brennan ($9,000). Dallas, with an 87.5 aboard Bright Lights, and Wyoming's Brody Wells, with a round-best 88 on Painted Heart, were the only busters better than Thurston on Wednesday. Article content 'Kind of a slow winter, but here in the last just about two weeks — since about the 26th of June — I've won just about $55,000,' continued Thurston. 'I think in the last 10 days or two weeks, I've just about doubled my yearly earnings there, so it's been pretty good. I think I'm the second-highest money winner over Cowboy Christmas for rough stock.'
Calgary Herald
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Calgary Herald
'It means a lot': Calgarian Adelodun relishing Surge game during Calgary Stampede
Olumide Adelodun grew up with the Calgary Stampede in his backyard. Article content So the pomp and pageantry — along with the cowboy sizzle — surrounding 'The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth' doesn't faze the Calgary native and professional basketball talent. Article content But ask his Calgary Surge teammate Javonte Brown — a big city kid from out east —about the spectacle that is the Stampede, and it's quite a different take. Article content Article content 'I'm not gonna lie,' admitted Brown, standing with Adelodun amidst a western-garbed sea of people at the Stampede grounds. 'It completely caught me off-guard. Like it's a lot of people. It's huge — it's all over the city. Article content He'll likely love it even more come Wednesday night during Surge2Stampede — a home Canadian Elite Basketball League contest for Brown, Adelodun and the Surge hosted in collaboration with the Calgary Stampede at Scotiabank Saddledome. Article content Article content Indeed, the Surge (9-5) take on the visiting Montreal Alliance (6-7) with thousands of Stampeding Calgarians expected to take in the CEBL showcase at the Dome (7:30 p.m., TSN). Article content 'It means a lot,' said Adelodun, a graduate of Bishop O'Byrne Senior High School in the city's southwest. Article content 'I remember when I was younger with my mom and my brother going to watch a Calgary Flames game. Article content Article content So to be able to play in that arena is really interesting. Article content 'You know … it's a big opportunity. I'm really excited.' Article content Last year, the Surge drew a league-record 12,327 fans to the home of the hockey Flames in a one-off game. Article content But this year's first of two Dome home tilts for the Calgary club gets the backing of the Stampede, with the likelihood of a dang fine walk-up crowd helping to fill seats on Family Day at the midway. Article content Article content 'Stampede is a staple in Calgary,' said 22-year-old Adelodun. 'When I was younger, I used to just always come here with my family. Article content 'My main thing is the food — I've got a lot of interest in the food here,' continued Adelodun. 'But … really … it's just the atmosphere here — you see the cowboys, you see the rodeo and all that. It's just a lot of stuff that you can really just get into and is just really interesting. Article content 'So it is just kind of cool being able to know that I'll play in front of everyone in the Calgary Stampede.'
Global News
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Global News
‘Political petting zoo': Politicians gather to flip pancakes at Calgary Stampede
The first political pancakes have been flipped as party leaders from around Canada gather for the Calgary Stampede. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek led an early morning crowd through a series of 'Yahoos' to herald the start of the rodeo that dubs itself The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth. View image in full screen The traditional 'First Flip' pancake breakfast that took place Thursday morning on the Stephen Avenue Mall, mark the official start of Stampede season in the city. Global News The 10-day event is an annual staple for politicos of all stripes as they hit what's commonly known as the summer barbecue circuit. Story continues below advertisement Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi says he calls Stampede a 'political petting zoo' and to get away from that, he says he has encouraged his caucus to visit every church pancake breakfast they can. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Gondek says she has nearly 20 events scheduled for Thursday, and that number will only climb over the next 10 days. Prime Minister Mark Carney and federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre are expected to be in the city as well. View image in full screen A huge crowd of people gathered on the Stephen Avenue mall in Calgary on Thursday morning for the 'First Flip' pancake breakfast to help kick off the 2025 Calgary Stampede festivities. Global News Canadian country superstar Shania Twain will also help kick off the 10 days of festivities as the parade marshall for the 2025 Calgary Stampede Parade. Global Calgary will be the official broadcaster of this year's parade and you can tune it to watch our special broadcast starting on Friday, July 4, at 8:45 a.m.. Story continues below advertisement Global News Morning's Blake Lough and Leslie Horton along with Jeff McArthur of Corus Entertainment's 'The Morning Show' will have all the action for you from this year's route, including the showcase of colourful floats, majestic horses and high-energy marching bands. With files from Global News.
