July 21, 2023 Chautauqua

Beth's Ponderings

   As I write this, we are smack dab in the middle of my all-time favourite time of year - the Calgary Stampede!

   Now, I know there are some people out there who find it hard to believe (though I have no idea why exactly) that I am such a big rodeo fan, but let me assure you, I come from a long line of ranching ancestors.  Ancestors who lived the way of life that the Stampede gives us a small taste of every year. 

   My great-great grandfather, John Ellis, on my Mom’s side managed the Stair Ranch in the Cypress Hills area (and invented the barbwire telephone in Alberta), before establishing Glenmar Ranch northeast of Medicine Hat in the late 1890s.  A great uncle raised rodeo stock in the Redcliff area.  Mom’s cousin, Dale “Hoot” Rose, was a well-known bullrider on the circuit for years - he competed at the Calgary Stampede in the 1970s, and many of the bullriding greats who followed behind him, practiced at his place outside of Redcliff.  There were ranchers on Dad’s side too.  Plus, my Dad (who spent the first 6 years of his life living in a covered wagon) used to tell stories about heading down to the Stampede grounds in the 50s and 60s with his brothers and riding some of the stock in the slack before the Stampede started. 

   While I enjoy watching all of the rodeo events, hands down, my favourites are the bullriding and steer wresting.  But even more than those, I absolutely love watching the chuckwagon races.

   This year marks the 100th anniversary of the first chuckwagon race at the Calgary Stampede, that ran July 9, 1923.  While we’ve come a long, long way from the days when the wagons were real working trail ride chuckwagons racing to see who could get around the track and light their stoves first, the thrill of seeing the races never gets old.

   Today’s wagon drivers may not be the “ranch cook,” but they certainly serve up thrills and excitement every time they hook up their horses and race against each other, even breaking a track record or two!

Beth

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