“Calgary has long held a reputation for its western hospitality and even though it’s not Stampede time we want to show them some good old Stampede spirit.” This excerpt is from a 1988 Winter Olympics handbook created for the hundreds of Stampede volunteers and employees who formed the base of Olympic volunteers in our city.
Twenty two years later, the western and Olympic spirits are once again coming together.
On January 18, the 2010 Olympic torch passed through Calgary, and dozens of cowboy-hat wearing Stampede volunteers and employees were on hand to add some Stampede spirit to the celebrations. Stampede chief executive officer Vern Kimball, and president and chairman of the board, Dr. David Chalack both took a turn running with the torch as did longtime Stampede supporter Mac MaKenny on his horse Rollin’ Thunder.
Stampede past president, Bob Church was vice-president when the ’88 Olympics were in town and this year on January 19 had his chance to run in the relay.
“The thrill of the Olympics is something you never forget,” Church says.
In 1988, the Stampede played a pivotal role in the Olympics – hosting 56 hockey and skating events in the Saddledome and Corral as well as the international broadcast centre.
Church tells of an unforgettable piece of Olympic history made on Park. “The Stampede hosted the only Olympic rodeo there has ever been,” he says. Canadian and American cowboys competed against each other and while they may not have been marked by official Olympic judges, the event was a high point for many spectators.
“It was exhilarating to have that kind of global event take place in our city,” remembers Church of the Olympics. Crowds lining the 2010 torch relay route wouldn’t disagree. For many Stampede volunteers, the sight of the torch blazing through the streets brought back memories, for others, it was a first chance to see the pride of the Olympics up close.
“The Olympic slogan in ’88 of ‘sharing the passion’ could easily be the slogan of the Calgary Stampede – then and today,” says Dr. David Chalack. “Stampede volunteers share the passion of Calgary’s western spirit and hospitality during the 10-days of Stampede and throughout the year at all kinds of events in the city – I wasn’t at all surprised to see all the cowboy hats lining the streets at the Olympic torch relay.”
Several Stampede volunteers and staff are involved in Vancouver’s effort to host this year’s Olympic Games as well. In mid-February a small group will be in Vancouver and Whistler promoting the Calgary Stampede to some of the 20,000 media covering the Games. So if you happen to see cowboy hats lining the bobsled course, you’ll know the Stampede spirit made the trip from 1988 to 2010.
