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I see it’s been a year since I last posted anything here. I’ve been very busy recently which isn’t a very good excuse but I have finally got a little time to get back to some core stuff related to my own business.
It’s Stampede time again in Calgary. A tired, worn out showcase of outdated (if still physically impressive) skills and country music. I see it’s still billed as “The greatest outdoor show on earth” but I can think of quite a few alternatives that would better fit that title.
Perhaps I should say up front that I have no interest whatsoever in cowboys, horses, cattle (other than as steak) or country music. But even if I was enthusiastic about these subjects, would I go to Stampede every year? Am I that much different from other locals? It seems not from the attendance figures. They’re not exactly plummeting but they’re certainly not increasing significantly year on year. The city’s still growing so why isn’t the attendance?
I did watch the parade the first year I was in Calgary (yawn) and I did go to the show grounds for an evening but I have to admit I haven’t been back. Every year it’s exactly the same thing. The only thing that changes is who’s on stage playing music and perhaps this is the main event for most of the crowd. The evening show I saw was incredibly amateurish and poorly produced. The only amusement that day was provided by the thunderstorm and torrential downpour that threatened to take more lives of the performers than the bull riding does. Rides on the Midway are old and tired, food is overpriced and lousy quality, etc.
So what should be done to improve Stampede? Provide something new and different of course.
The surprise hit of the Vancouver Olympics was the downtown zip line. I don’t think a zip line from the top of the Calgary tower to the Stampede grounds would be practical but it would certainly get the world’s attention. A shorter zip line in the grounds, perhaps over the main stadium would provide a different view of some of the events. Build some other permanent rides on the Stampede grounds (like a decent roller coaster) and keep them open all summer.
Showcase some more modern cowboy skills alongside the traditional ones. I’m sure that however romantic the notion that cowboys ride horses all day, the practicality is that most tasks are done using ATV’s for transport. How about some timed ATV runs over obstacle courses, deep water, steep slopes, rocks, etc.
Clean up the traditional acts too. I can’t understand why the bull and bronco riders don’t wear protective gear, not even a hard hat! They’re supposedly professional sportsmen yet they put their careers at risk with injuries that are so easily preventable. You wouldn’t catch a football or hockey player going back to unprotected days as their careers are just too valuable. Maybe there are some people who go to the shows wanting to see someone die but I`m sure the majority would prefer there to be no injuries.
So, come on Calgary. We could do so much better. Let`s fire the organizers and get some fresh ideas going ready for next year.
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