STANDOUT PUBLICATIONS | STANDOUTPUBLICATIONS.COM | SUMMER NO. 5 2017 ISSUE
WESTBOUND CANADIANS H I S T O R Y O F S TA M P E D E | H U M B L E H O R S E T H E R A P Y | A T R U E C O W B O Y | T R AV E L T H R O U G H W E S T E R N C A N A D A
PHOTO, Zev Abosh (Back cover, Jeff McDonald) MODELS, Mitch Wiebe & Kaila Dawn MAKEUP, Douglas Cressman HAIR, Channing Crowshoe STYLISTS, KD Lamarche BEVERAGES, Fallen Timber Meadery DESSERTS, Swirl Custom Cake & Desserts LOCATION, Barrier Lakes, Alberta BOUTIQUE, Connie’s Closet LIMO, XLIMO Calgary
INTRO TO THE COVER PHOTO, Zev Abosh MODEL, Kaila Dawn MAKEUP, Douglas Cressman HAIR, Channing Crowshoe STYLISTS, KD Lamarche LOCATION, Barrier Lakes, Alberta BOUTIQUE, Connie’s Closet
GI V “Can
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EDITORIAL
EDITOR IN CHIEF, Autumn Riley
EXECUTIVE CONSULTANT, KD Lamarche
CREATIVE MANAGER, Mitch Wiebe
MANAGING EDITOR, Melissa Hazen
COPY EDITOR, Toran Lanthier
BEAUTY DIRECTOR, Douglas Cressman
PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR, Zev Abosh
VIDEO EDITOR, Sergey Abramov
PHOTOGRAPHER, Jeff McDonald
COMPANY THE CREATORS OF THIS MAGAZINE
CEO/FOUNDER/DESIGNER
PHOTO, Jeff McDonald
D
ear Readers,
This issue is a celebration of Western Canada and its people. We are a pretty diverse bunch! From business tycoons, to yoga aficionados, to cowboys and cowgirls, it’s the people that make us amazing. We are lucky to have access to some of the best scenery in the world. Mountains, fields of yellow and gold, rivers, lakes and the beautiful Pacific Ocean. We are lucky, and we know it. We spend our time outside, enjoying everything our beautiful provinces have to offer. And once a year, we gather for an incredible party in July. The city of Calgary practically comes to a halt and we celebrate where we came from and where we are going. The Calgary Stampede is about bringing people together; recognizing our heritage and celebrating our very bright future. It is this idea of celebration that we want to bring to you, our readers. Enjoy! Autumn Riley - Editor in Chief
StandOUT Publications publishes 12 times a year, every month. Canadian magazine based out of Calgary, Alberta. Please send all inquiries, questions and comments to: StandOUT Publications Box 360, Cremona, AB T0M 0R0 EMAIL: info@standoutpublications.com WEBSITE: standoutpublications.com To subscribe StandOUT Publications and recieve print on demand delivery to your mail box and email monthly. Send $4.99 for 1 month, $12.97 for 3 months, $24.94 for 6 months and $49.99 for 12 months. standoutpublications.com
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INSIDE THIS
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In the Know
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T R AV E L L I N G T H R O UG H WE S T E R N CA N A D A V I A T H E T R A N S C A N A D A HIG HWAY
Inspiring Story
FI N D I N G M Y S E L F A M O N G T H E WAV E S
Truly A Western Inspiration H UM BL E H O R S E THERAPY
Canada’s Greatest
HI S TO RY OF S TA M P E D E
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Western Canadian Legend C OWBOYS: THE ON ES L IKE LEON ARD SC HM ID T
An Angel Story
A C AFE THAT P ROVID ES FOR M AN Y N EED S
Canadian Photo of the Issue SUN SET & P RAIRIES
Photography Editorial Series
AN AFTERN OON ALIG HT
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PHOTOGRAPHY CONTESTS FOR CANADIANS
Canadian PHOTOGRAPHY JOURNAL Our platform for Canadian photographers to submit their work and short story
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MONTH.
E OFFER CANADIAN PHOTOGRAPHERS A CHANCE TO GET THEIR PHOTOGRAPHS PUBLISHED EVERY
Victor and myself had been discussing a studio shoot after his fitness competition. Originally we had decided on doing simple images conveying his physique, but quickly they became much more. You can see his dedication to this craft every time he posed. He is an inspiration.
PHOTOGRAPHER: Steven Spaulding (Spaulding Portraits) - spauldingportraits.ca standoutpublications.com
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IN THE KNOW
G N I L L E ighway V H a d A a n a R C T anada via the Trans rn C
a r o a d tr ip n o g in o g n e h to p s w M u s t s e e p it rso u g h H ig hway 1 We s t th
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NCHANTED FOREST, BRITISH COLUMBIA
This fantasy world of 350 fairy folk art figurines amongst 800-year-old cedars, lies along the heart of TransCanada Highway West, in Revelstoke, British Columbia. The Enchanted Forest was a retirement project of Doris and Ernest Needham in the 1950’s. Visiting the Forest will bring forward many childhood memories of fairy tales and fables, including but not limited to Goldilocks, Snow White, Three Little Pigs, Captain Hook and other heroes, villains and creatures that we’ve all grown to love. It is also home to British Columbia’s tallest tree house, and additionally, you can step into the homes of your favourite fairytale characters. If the fantasy world of dungeons and dragons isn’t your thing, this place is also has a fabulous guided rowboat paddling tour in beaver ponds, a nature walk through the lush forest, and picnics with the entire family. FEATURE, KD Lamarche
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THE ENCHANTED FOREST
RUMHELLER, ALBERTA
Just an hour and a half drive from Calgary, this town brings you to a different moment in time the second you dip down into the Red Deer Valley. Although not as popular as Banff or Lake Louise, Drumheller is a hidden gem and a world of its own! Set amidst Alberta’s mesmerizing badlands, its diverse topography of hoodoos, grasslands, coulees and canyons provides a vast landscape of discovery and exploration. Imagine if you will, travelling back into to prehistoric era, watching the dinosaurs roaming the land! Originally founded on coal, Drumheller now thrives on its paleontology. “The Dinosaur Capital of the World,” as it is called, is home to Royal Tyrrell Museum, a research centre that continuously studies fossils and bones and draws in millions of tourists from around the world. If you’re not buying the Jurassic Park theme of this place, there are other places to enjoy as well, such as hiking the Hoodoos, Horseshoe and Horsethief Canyons, learning about coal mining in Atlas Coal Mine National Historic Site, doing the 11 Bridges drive, stopping at Drumheller’s Little Church or taking in the East Coulee School Museum.
TOP Photo c/o huffingtonpost.ca BOTTOM Photo c/o canadianpassionplay.ca
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THE HOODOOS BADLANDS
Photo c/o canadianpassionplay.com
IN THE KNOW
P PRINCE ALBERT NATIONAL PARK
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Photo c/o parklandtourism.com
RINCE ALBERT NATIONAL PARK, SASKATCHEWAN
Two and half hours from TransCanada Highway, you will find yourself in a land of grasslands mix with woodlands and boreal forest. Prince Albert National Park is a million-acre park, home to a growing herd of more than 400 free-roaming bisons, amongst 195 species of birds, timber wolves and other wild life animals. Hailed as Canada’s most popular national park (against the other 54), it is a year round resort town with full services. In the summer, enjoy hiking, camping, fishing or horseback riding to cover more ground. In the winter, crosscountry skiing, snowshoeing, ice fishing and lake skating are popular activities in this area. Photo c/o nationalgeographic.com
ASAGAMING, MANITOBA
Also known as Clear Lake, Wasagaming is a seasonal prairie town located in Riding Mountain National Park, known for its clear waters. The picturesque Clear Lake is the largest lake in this national park and offers daily cruises and watercraft rentals within the Marina/Martese. During the summer season (runs from 18 May to 8 October), this little county receives over 300,000 visitors eager to enjoy the lake and it’s other amenities such as golf and tennis courses, bike rentals and the park theatre, which is also known to be Photo c/o parklandtourism.com the “Largest Log Cabin Theatre In North America”.
CLEAR LAKE
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WE ARE LOOKING FOR NEW CANADIANS TO FEATURE TO INSPIRE OTHERS. WE NEED MORE POSITIVE NEWS OUT THERE. EASY TO READ & STRONG IMAGES. EVERY CANADIAN HAS A GREAT STORY OR AN EXPERIENCE.
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INSPIRED BY THIS CANADIAN STORY ABOUT THE WEST
Finding S Myself Amongstthe Waves
OMETIMES, WE NEED A RESET. We get bogged down in life’s details and lose sight of the big picture. I had one heck of a year. I was coming back from a job loss that almost bankrupted me, I was in a dead end relationship that I couldn’t seem to get out of, and my youngest had come out as transgender. I felt depleted emotionally and directionless.
I had kids when I was very young. By the age of 19 I was immersed in motherhood with two kids, no education and no real help. It was a long, exhausting fight to get my education, build my career and raise them – I had never done anything for myself. I had no idea who I was or what I wanted out of life – everything up to this point had been about survival. Suddenly I realized, my kids were basically adults, and I had time on my hands, and no idea what to do with it. I had never stopped to smell the roses, or figure out what made me smile.
A Personal Journey
This is the place I was in when I decided to pack up my dog and my car and take a road trip. It was last minute and was not planned; it was something I would never do. It felt irresponsible and haphazard. What was I doing taking my dog (who was still a puppy) on a twoweek long road trip, with no plan and not much money? All I knew, was I needed out. I needed time to myself to think. I’d never travelled alone, but the idea appealed – no one else to plan around, just me and my best buddy Jackson. I decided to head west. Water mesmerizes me. It soothes me. And the idea of learning to surf invigorated me, so I set my destination to Tofino, British Columbia. I did a quick search of which hotel chains were dog friendly and cheap and then we were off! Calgary, Alberta to Tofino is a bit of a drive, 16 hours or so depending on which way you go, so I knew we would be making stops as often as possible. A year-old Labrador Retriever doesn’t sit still for long!
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As soon as we hit the highway, I felt like I could take a deep breath. I had no idea what was waiting for me, or what – if anything – I would figure out, but I was doing something for me. It felt like I was more than just an exhausted mom, I was a woman who had wants and needs and damned if I was going to ignore them anymore. The first stop Jackson and I made was along Highway 1, before Banff. Anyone who has done the drive knows the spot. There is a beautiful lake with a huge rock along the shore and a tiny island, with a picnic table and a flag, that I’ve never seen anyone on. I remember letting him take a quick dip in the water and there was this couple who had climbed the huge rock to take a picture and Jackson ran out of the water, scaled this rock like a billy goat and shook himself off right beside them. For the first time in a long time I laughed a deep, belly laugh – the kind that comes out of nowhere, shakes all your wobbly bits and echoes off the water. That moment set the tone for our entire trip. I was seizing the day. Living in the moment. Every stop was about making memories. One stop, was outside Kamloops, British Columbia and I found a random bridge that looked deserted and the river was slow enough for Jackson to swim. We climbed down a bit of a ravine and discovered a beautiful swim area. It was hot and the water looked inviting so in we both went. I don’t usually go swimming in my undies, but it was secluded and I didn’t want to unpack my swim suit. I remember feeling brave and a little risqué as I ran into the water beside my dog. I remember laying on my back in the water and just staring at the clouds – like a kid trying to make out different shapes. It was the most relaxed I had felt in years, possibly ever. Another stop, I nearly stopped traffic because I saw an ice cream shop. I stopped at a restaurant in Chilliwack, run by a religious commune, and was invited to their home for dinner. I met a woman at that dinner who invited me into her home for breakfast the next day. I met a beautiful, hilarious couple who invited me on a hike with them and their dog. I met a young man who is a WOOFER (I had no idea what this was!) and he shared his travel stories with me.
I could finally breathe. I had no idea a place like this existed within Canada’s borders. It was as close to perfect as I’ve ever seen. The people in Tofino are friendly and welcoming. I was travelling alone and always had dinner companions if I wanted them. Dogs are welcome nearly everywhere and there are amazing dog walkers who will watch them for the day when you can’t take them with you. Surf lessons are a must and the instructors are patient and make sure you manage to get up at least once. If you are looking for a place to relax and enjoy the best of what nature has to offer, this place is heaven on earth. I stayed for a week and was sad to leave. It remains my top destination. But all good things must come to an end. After the most idyllic seven days of my life, it was time to start heading home – I was finally ready. We stopped a lot so Jackson could swim and I could think. To figure out what was missing, what I could fix and what I needed to learn to live with. I wish I could say I fixed everything on this trip and discovered who I was, but you can’t fix a lifetime of ignoring yourself in a mere two weeks. What I did learn is I needed to put myself first. I needed to drop the dead end relationship and spend my time wisely. I needed to do things that make me happy and fill my soul with laughter. I needed to stop living for others and instead, live for myself. That trip was the beginning of acceptance of myself. The beginning of living my life for me. I still struggle, but I will never forget the feeling of laughter that makes your belly shake and the lessons taught amongst the waves. — Autumn Riley
It took us four days to get to Tofino. A tiny little town on the other side of Vancouver Island. A quaint place that reminded me of a little fishing village. A place where we walked everywhere, ate amazing fresh seafood and went on hikes and swims daily. Surrounded by water and the sound of waves crashing, I couldn’t help but fall in love. My pace slowed down to a crawl and my thoughts became less frenetic. standoutpublications.com
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TRULY A WESTERN INSPIRATION
HUMBLEHORSE RANCH Therapy
Changing Lives, One Rider at a Time
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IDING A HORSE ISN’T JUST ABOUT GET TING ON ITS BACK AND HOLDING ONTO THE REINS. Humblehorse Ranch, located in Strathmore, Alberta, knows it’s about learning and using everyday life skills. A person cannot just make a 1500-pound animal move unless that animal chooses to listen. The only way you can convince a horse to move is by ensuring it believes in your ability to be the leader. In order to do this, you need to have confidence, empathy, strength, understanding of horse behaviour and understanding of your own behaviour. That’s what horse therapy is all about. Teaching those skills to people who need them. The Humblehorse Ranch is a family run business. Clarence and Karen Skuter, owners and operators and parents to Becky Skuter, Head Coach and Manager, and Aimee Bailey, Children’s Program Coordinator and Instructor. It is a labour of love, “we would love to make money doing this, but there are so many people in need and we just can’t turn them away… we find ways to work with everyone to make it affordable,” says Clarence. “We started this business because of our own family needs and it has taken on a life of its own.” The idea for the Humblehorse came when Clarence was laid off and the family was struggling to make ends meet. Clarence wanted a way to support his family and to bring them together. The family wanted to teach others about a better way of life through horses. They decided to start a place where kids, youth and adults could come and leave their problems on the arena floor. A place where they could learn the lessons that horses have to teach. The name Humblehorse Ranch was chosen by Karen because, “all of the former corporate arrogance that had given Clarence his previous success had no place in a business where we wanted to help people especially young families and young children and teenagers.” Since then, the ranch has taken on a life of it’s own. The Humblehorse Ranch specializes in western riding lessons with a therapeutic approach, but also offers: summer camps, kid’s camps, summer horseback riding, horse birthday parties, bootcamp fitness programs, field trips and a whole lot more. The ranch is spread over 140 acres and is located within the western edge of Strathmore’s town limits, just 30 minutes east of Calgary. The property is bordered by a treed canal, a 30 acre riding park, and almost 5 miles of cross country trails. But it is the horse therapy that is near and dear to their hearts. It is the very foundation the Humblehorse Ranch is built on.
“We care about each individual and meet each person where they are. We genuinely want them to grow and improve, not only their riding skills, but life skills as well. I do what I do because I enjoy seeing people blossom and thrive as their confidence grows and their skills develop. I also have a passion for horses and how they can positively change people lives and bring out the best in them,” says Becky Skuter, head riding coach and Humblehorse manager. When they first began offering horse therapy and western riding lessons, the two types of riding were taught separately, but the Skuter family started noticing that it wasn’t just the people in the therapy classes that were needing the lessons being taught. That was when he had the idea to marry the two different types of classes and integrate everyone together. “We used to have classes focused solely on therapy and now we only have one official class. We try to integrate everyone into our regular classes because we find it helps everyone. It normalizes a lot of the disorders people are dealing with and gives everyone tools, whether it is to manage their own behaviours or to accept and understand the behaviours in others,” says Clarence.
Clarence says, “everything we do is based on the therapy principles we have been developing since opening our doors 16 years ago. Now days, everyone is dealing with mental health issues…anxiety, ADHD, OCD, autism spectrum and a myriad of other issues – we try to help everyone.” It is these therapy principles, developed by Aimee Bailey a graduate from Mount Royal College, that form the foundation of everything they do. The staff at Humblehorse Ranch work on teaching their students horse behaviour – how to read the different cues the horse gives, coping skills - how to manage their behaviour in order to get the horse to listen, social skills – how to interact with fellow riders, coaches and the horses, and empathy and compassion – how to understand what the horse is feeling, which translates into the human world as well.
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It is these basic life skills that allow all their students to grow. “To see where many of our students start out and then to see how far each one of them has come is nothing short of awe inspiring,” says Clarence. “They all come from different backgrounds and have so many issues they are dealing with and to see even one change from an angry, unfocused, confused kid into one that can show compassion for a wounded horse and tend to its wounds with care and focus, is an amazing thing.” The ultimate goal is to offer youth and young adults, both with and without special needs, a safe place to hang out. A harbour in the storm. “To us, the horse arena is church. It is the place where we let our problems go and help others do the same. We want everyone to have that feeling here, and we do everything in our power to foster that feeling,” says Clarence. We want to keep the momentum going with our classes as well. Clarence elaborates, “We are experiencing some huge successes… in our advanced therapeutic class. Never before have we been able to advance special needs students to the level that we are currently seeing. We actually have them doing drills on sport horses that require skills that we are teaching in our intermediate classes. The control that we see on the horses
is something that we have never seen before. We have employed different training techniques on sport horses. We keep the pace down but we do much of this at a jog. There are many days when we are actually astonished at the success, and even the caregivers have themselves have created movies and multiple video clips to capture the progress.” The Skuter family has an obvious passion for the horses and their riders. They work tirelessly updating their facilities and making sure every horse lesson is a life lesson. They constantly work to foster the bond between each and every rider and ensure they are available if anyone needs a supportive ear. Their focus is always on the horses and their riders; on creating a safe harbour. — Autumn Riley
CHECK OUT MORE FROM HUMBLEHORSE FB: facebook.com/humblehorseranch IG: instagram.com/humblehorseranch WEB: humblehorse.com
CANADA’S GREATEST
Hisoftory
E D E P M A T S The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth
PHOTOS, Jeff McDonald (Old fashioned photos, Google Images/Internet)
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VERY SEASONED CALGARIAN KNOWS THE FIRST FRIDAY IN JULY IS THE START TO THE CALGARY STAMPEDE AND IS WELL VERSED ON CALGARY’S STAMPEDE CULTURE. They don their fanciest western attire and scope out where the best stampede breakfasts are going to be held and organize their days around making sure they hit at least one. The lofty quest for the best beef on a bun becomes their greatest obsession for the next ten days. However, when asked what they know about the history of the Stampede, not many people are able to give an answer as to when and how the initial stampede was formed. At over 100 years old, the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth wasn’t always the 10-day affair it is now. Hailed as The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth, the Calgary Stampede’s roots can be traced back to 1886 when the Calgary and District Agricultural Society held its first fair. From that initial fair in 1886, the exhibition continued to grow and in 1908 the Canadian government announced that Calgary would host the federally funded Dominion Exhibition. Calgary spent $145,000 in order to promote itself, building six new pavilions and a racetrack. The exhibition held a parade as well as a rodeo, horse racing, and trick roping competitions. The event was a huge success, drawing 100,000 people to the fairgrounds over seven days despite an economic recession that afflicted the city at that time. The 1908 exhibition ran from June 29-July 9 and was considered the proving grounds for the inaugural Calgary Stampede that would take place four years later in 1912, organized by an American promoter by the name of Guy Weadick. After a couple years, the Stampede was back in 1919. It was a Victory Stampede to honour soldiers returning from World War I. In the progressing years, Guy Weadick’s fair became an annual event when it merged with the Calgary Industrial Exhibition to create the Calgary Exhibition and Stampede in 1923. Today, the Calgary Stampede has grown into one of the world’s largest rodeos, one of Canada’s largest city festivals, and has become a significant tourist attraction for Calgary, with most rodeo and chuckwagon racing televised across Canada and the United States. As mentioned, Guy Weadick, an American trick roper (who participated in the Dominion Exhibition as part of the Miller Brothers 101 Ranch Real Wild West Show), returned to Calgary in 1912 with the hopes of establishing a more realistic depiction of the Wild West. With the assistance of local livestock agent H. C. McMullen, Weadick convinced four local businessmen, Pat Burns, George Lane, A. J. McLean, and A. E. Cross (better known today as The Big Four) to donate $100,000 towards funding the Stampede. The Big Four saw this project as a final celebration of their life as ranchers, a chance to share their lifestyle and love of everything western. 100,000 people attended the event in September 1912, which lasted 6 days. Voyeurs watched hundreds of cowboys from Western Canada, the United States and Mexico compete for $20,000 in prizes. The event generated $120,000 in revenue and was hailed a huge success for Calgary.
CANADA’S GREATEST
Weadick then set into motion the planning of the 1913 Stampede, promoting the event across the nation and into the United States. However, the Big Four were not interested in hosting another event. Desperate for money, Weadick was convinced by some affluent businessmen in Winnipeg to host his second Stampede in their city. Unfortunately, the show failed, and a third attempt in New York State in 1916 suffered the same fate. Guy Weadick then returned to Calgary in 1919. There, he gained the support of E. L. Richardson, the general manager of the Calgary Industrial Exhibition. The pair convinced numerous Calgarians, including the Big Four, to back the “Great Victory Stampede” in celebration of Canada’s soldiers returning from World War I. The successful 1919 Stampede was again held as a one-time event. However, Richardson was convinced that it should be a yearly profitable event, but he found little support from investors within the board of directors of the Calgary Industrial Exhibition. However, in 1922, financial losses forced the exhibition board to reconsider Richardson’s proposals of merging the two events. Weadick agreed, and thus became the Calgary Exhibition and Stampede. That summer, hundreds of men on horseback rode down Calgary city streets as onlookers observe from the sides it was the 1923 Stampede parade. The beginnings of an annual exhibition and stampede. The combined exhibition and stampede event was first held in 1923. Calgary encouraged its residents to dress in western clothes and decorate their businesses in the spirit of the wild west. Government leaders supported the event for the first time and Mayor George Webster allowed downtown roads to be closed each morning of the six-day event to accommodate street parties. At this time, the sport of chuckwagon racing was introduced and immediately grew in popularity. Over 167,000 people attended and the event earned a profit; the success guaranteed that the Calgary Stampede and Exhibition would become an annual event. By 1950 seven movies were filmed at the Stampede grounds, the most profitable being a 1925 silent film called The Calgary Stampede featuring Hoot Gibson and Virginia Brown Faire. The film, which was about “Champion Roman racer Dan Malloy falls in love with French Canadian Marie LeFarge, but is accused of killing her father. He evades the law until he wins the Calgary Stampede,” used footage from the rodeo and exposed people across North America to the event. Hollywood stars and foreign dignitaries were attracted to the event. Bob Hope and Bing Crosby each served as parade marshals during the 1950’s, while Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip made their first of two visits to the event as part of their 1959 tour of Canada. The Queen also opened the 1973 Stampede and most recently, William and Kate, Duke and Duchess of Cambridge marched in the parade in 2012. The discovery of the Leduc oil well in 1946 and major reserves in the Turner Valley saw a period of growth and prosperity. Calgary was then transformed from an agricultural city to an oil and gas capital. The population doubled between 1949 and 1956, and Calgary’s immigrant population not only embraced the Stampede, but encouraged friends and family in their hometowns to do the same. The 1950’s represented the golden age of the Calgary Stampede.
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Attendance records were broken almost yearly in the 50’s and overall attendance increased by 200,000 from 1949 to 1959. The 7,500-seat Stampede Corral was completed in 1950 as the largest indoor arena in Western Canada. It housed the Calgary Stampeders hockey team, and musical debuts, such as the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra and Louis Armstrong. In 1954, improvements were made to the grandstand and the chuckwagon race track was rebuilt. Additionally, the current day Big Four Building, named in honour of the initial Stampede investors, opened in 1959 which served as the city’s largest exhibition hall for the summers and was then converted into a 24-sheet curling facility in the winters. Calgary Stampede attendance continued to grow throughout the 60’s and 70’s, reaching 500,000 for the first time in 1962 and almost 700,000 by 1966. It was at this time that organizers decided to expand the event from its initial six days to nine in 1967, and then to ten the following year. The event saw its first one million visitors in 1976. Meanwhile, the park continued to grow. The Round-Up Centre opened its doors in 1979, as the new exhibition hall, and the Calgary Olympic Saddledome finished completion in 1983, replacing the Stampede Corral as the city’s top sporting arena. Both facilities hosted hockey and figure skating events at the 1988 Winter Olympics. Over the years, as Calgary grew into a major oil and gas hub for Canada, maintaining the traditional focus on agriculture and western heritage has remained a top priority for the Stampede each summer. Aggie Days is a program designed to introduce schoolchildren to agriculture and was implemented in 1989. A ten-year expansion plan called Horizon 2000 was released in 1990 detailing plans to grow the Stampede Park into a yearround destination for Calgarians, and was updated in 2004. The Stampede organization dropped the word “exhibition” from its title in 2007, and the event has since been known simply as the Calgary Stampede. Attendance has remained constant around 1.2 million since 2000, however it set an attendance record of 1,409,371 while celebrating the centennial anniversary in 2012.
Not only does the stampede have its roots in “Cowboy Culture”, but over the years of its formation there have been many collaborations with First Nations, especially amongst Treaty 7 First Nations who continue to support and collaborate with the Calgary Stampede today.
The origins of the incredible relationship that exists between the five tribes of Treaty 7 jumps back to 1912 when Guy Weadick requested that First Nations be a part of the celebration. 1,800 First Nations people participated in the Stampede at that time and the top five tribes lead the parade. Some competed in the rodeo and all camped in the first Indian Village. Kainai cowboy, Tom Three Persons, was the first Indigenous cowboy to successfully ride the outlaw horse Cyclone and was was proclaimed World Champion Cowboy. Guy Weadick and the 1912 Calgary Stampede played an important role in supporting First Nations to preserve, protect, and retain their culture as it almost disappeared after the signing of Treaty 7 in 1877. In 1912, First Nations peoples were not allowed to celebrate their cultures on their own reserves because of Indian Act laws and regulations. The Stampede was one of the only places where First Nations peoples were welcomed to participate and celebrate their traditions publicly. As a result, the families who participated in Indian Village throughout the 20th century looked forward to coming to the Calgary Stampede annually. They used this time to teach younger generations about their traditions to make sure their cultures lived on. It was only because of the special agreement that Guy Weadick and the Calgary Stampede made with the government that passes were given for First Nations participants to leave the reserve and attend the Stampede without fear of legal consequences. Most people today don’t realize the significance of Indian Village as one of the only safe spaces for Indigenous culture – a place grown and developed in partnership with the Stampede, a place where First Nations have accomplished so much and continue to look forward to what it can provide for future generations.
Over one hundred years later, the Calgary Stampede is honored to have First Nations involvement, beginning with the riding in of the horses from First Nation bands - from many parts of the prairies and surrounding areas in both Canada and the United States, to leading the Stampede parade on the first Friday morning of July, to living in tipis set up in the Indian Village, to showcasing their culture to many around the world each day. It is a great honour to have all First Nations in attendance each year at the Stampede. Today, Calgary’s identity among the world is now tied to the famous Stampede. We are known as the Stampede City, and we additionally carry the informal nickname of Cowtown, not to mention, our local Canadian Football League team is called the Calgary Stampeders. Today, Calgarians could not be more proud of our western heritage, we hope to see many more North Americans donning their cowboy hats and sharing the best pancake breakfast locations each year for ten days in July. Yeehaw! — Toran Lanthier CHECK OUT MORE FROM CALGARY STAMPEDE IG: @calgarystampede WEB: calgarystampede.ca
PHOTOS, Jeff McDonald (Old fashioned photos, Google Images/Internet)
Participation in the Stampede represents a significant moment for the Treaty 7 Nations. At the time however, the issue was rather contentious. The Indian Affairs department sent a notice to southern Alberta agents to inform them that First Nations should not take part in the Calgary Stampede. However, Weadick sought political influences in order to obtain First Nation participation in the celebration, and shortly before the event, the superintendentgeneral of the Indian Affairs department announced that the government would actively assist in bringing First Nations to the Calgary Stampede.
Currently, First Nations representation in all aspects of the Calgary Stampede remains one of its most culturally significant and unique components of the Calgary Stampede. The public is given an opportunity to experience the culture of Treaty 7 First Nations - a culture that has survived for centuries, and for a lot of individuals, it’s a culture they’ve never had a chance to experience first hand.
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WESTERN CANADIAN LEGEND
Cowboys: THE ONES LIKE LEONARD SCHMIDT A roper, rancher and dedicated community member. Humble, but filled with family pride, Leonard Schmidt is a true Alberta cowboy.
Reprinted with permission from Ag for Life, www.agricultureforlife.ca
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EONARD SCHMIDT IS A BONA FIDE BARRHEAD INSTITUTION. He and his wife, Vivian, have been ranching and farming about 30 kilometers west of Barrhead, Alberta since 1965. Along with ranching for the past 52 years, Leonard, and the rest of the Schmidt clan, is a facet of the local and provincial rodeo community. “I was actually born in a little place called Radway,” explains Leonard. “At the time my dad had a farm in the Newbrook area, about 40 kilometers north of Radway. The family grew bigger and he bought land just north of Barrhead, in Mellowdale.” As the kids were growing up, his father bought a livestock trucking business. That same livestock trucking business is where Leonard ended up working after he graduated high school. “I spent nine years driving truck and then we bought the place we’re on now.” The trucking business remains in the Schmidt family to this day – taken over by Leonard’s brothers and expanded to include a feedlot, feeding roughly 30,000 head of cattle at a time. At the ranch, Leonard operates a cow-calf and grazed yearlings operation. “We run anywhere from 130 to 200 cows, then we buy calves in the fall to feed and pasture them as yearlings the following summer.” Leonard silages about 300 acres of crops for cattle feed. When asked how many acres the ranch spans in total, Leonard pauses and counts them off. “We have…” he laughs, “Well what the heck do we have? We own seven quarter sections and lease three quarter sections for grazing.” In 1975, Leonard and his three sons, Ronald, Randy and David, got into the rodeo game. “The four of us rodeoed together for, oh gosh, years, in team roping and calf roping.” Leonard speaks humbly about his time in rodeo, “I guess, in our day, they counted us as being there most of the time,” he chuckles, “we won a few different awards over the years.” Now, Leonard’s grandchildren are big into rodeo. “Ronald’s oldest son, Kolton, made the National Finals Rodeo last year in team roping,” says Leonard, proudly. “He was the youngest guy there at 22 years old.” Ronald had his own rodeo victories, winning the Canadian Finals Rodeo in 2000, the first year they had team roping included in the event. Leonard and Vivian keep rodeo close to home – owning and operating an indoor riding arena where they host different events throughout the year. >
WESTERN CANADIAN LEGEND “We constructed it in 1981 to start with, a metal-type building, and we operated it until 2015. In July of that year, we had a big thunderstorm. The building got struck by lightning and burned to the ground.” It turns out an arena burning down isn’t enough to stop Leonard. “We were about to throw in the towel, but all three of our sons and their families are all into roping and rodeo, so we constructed another indoor arena. This will be the second winter we’ve had it running.” The arena is part of the Barrhead community. “We have four nights a week during the winter months when we host different events – roping, sorting, penning – those sorts of things. It helps pay some of the bills, but it’s a lot of work and we have to run a lot of the livestock because of it. That’s why we buy calves in the fall – to be used in some of the events.” People come from two or three hours away for some of the roping events held at the Schmidt’s arena. The arena fire isn’t the only element Leonard has fought to keep his ranch running. “Quite a bit of our real estate is in what we call the Paddle River Flats. Over the years, we’ve had lots of flooding and lots of years we lost all the crops we had,” explains Leonard, pausing, “that made it really tough to keep going.” Besides the nine years spent driving truck for a living, ranching is what Leonard’s done for most of his life. “It’s just a lifestyle, I guess,” says Leonard, “that’s what keeps me going.” Leonard is still heavily involved in the rodeo community. 24
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Currently he’s president of the Pembina Team Roping Association, President of the Alberta Team Roping Association and a board member of the Barrhead Ag Society. Reflecting on his community involvement, he laughs, “I’ve been on the Barrhead Ag Society board for probably 50 years or more now.” “I’m 77 now,” Leonard says, explaining where he sees the future of his operation going. “We’ve talked a little bit with the boys about how we should transition this operation and we’re still discussing the details, but we’re pretty confident one of them will take this thing over.” “I’m sure it will stay in the family. The arena has been part of our lives for, well since 1981, so that’s a lot of years now.” The ranch hasn’t changed much over the years. “I don’t know that we’ve changed our practices a whole bunch. We’ve always been aware of being environmental stewards.” Leonard has been seeding the same acres for silage for around 30 years. The same goes for the land he uses for hay and pasture. “Some of the land hasn’t been altered since we bought this place.” Adversity aside, there’s no doubting Leonard’s love of the ranching lifestyle. “Like I’ve always said, the only part of my life I would like to have done differently would have been the time I spent behind the wheel of a truck,” he reflects. “If I had to do it over again, I would change that part real quick.” The persistent, entrepreneurial spirit in Leonard and the rest of the Schmidt clan is clear. “We like to get stuff done, I guess.” —
Bryn Lukowiak
ANGEL’S CAFE Whatever you need, Cathy is there for you.
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PEOPLE CALL ME ANGEL,” CATHY SAID WITH A LAUGH. “They think it’s my name and I don’t have the heart to correct them.” Cathy Jacobs, owner and operator of Angel’s Cappuccino and Ice Cream Café, could well be called an angel. She spends her days serving food and drinks, snacks and ice cream, as well as her own brand of wisdom to a parade of sun-seekers, outdoor enthusiasts, and regulars who drop by simply to visit—or as one faithful mentioned, “to get her Cathy fix.” Cathy’s journey, in many ways, began in 1994 when she left an abusive relationship and took refuge at a women’s shelter with her three small children. Her time there made her dig deep. She found solace not only in the safety of the physical environment, but also within herself. She saw that the years of contrast were what she needed to glean insight, recognize her calling, and learn about true compassion, which, to Cathy, is more then offering a helping hand or a listening ear. It’s looking beyond what is, seeing for others what they, in their pain or struggle, can’t see for themselves, and then simply believing in that version of them. In 1997 she began serving ice cream from the back of a panel truck. In late 2005, Cathy and her husband built a 12’ x 30’ mobile building and moved it onto the current site at Edworthy Park in Calgary. Over the years, Cathy’s dreams grew, as did her desire to help people. She saw Angel’s as a space to care for the needs of others, a place to nourish bodies and souls. Whether it’s a hearty meal or a refreshing drink, a Band-Aid or simply a hug, Cathy can be counted on to brighten her customer’s day. Today Cathy’s vision continues to broaden. Angel’s is in the process of expansion again. 2017 will see a new, larger facility, 26
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a business that embraces, supports and gives back to the environment and the community. The new building will be dedicated to the memory of her sonin-law Trevor Nickel, whose passion in life was environmental improvement and waste reduction. Many ‘green’, leading edge concepts will be incorporated into the building. For quite some time, customers have been asking how they can contribute to the vision Cathy eagerly shares with all who frequent her cafe. In response, she and her husband came up with the idea to create feathers that people can purchase. Each feather will have the donor’s name engraved on it and will combine to create angel wings, becoming a work of art on a feature wall in the new cafe. Angel’s Cappuccino and Ice Cream has become a landmark on one the city\’s bustling pathways and Cathy Jacobs a beloved figure in Calgary and surrounding area, but her influence has spread even further across this great nation. Many visitors to the city seek her out because of a recommendation from friends, or simply return to Angel’s to pay her a visit as they take in the beauty from the cafe\’s picturesque location on the Bow River. Cathy’s talents go beyond running a successful business. She has published a book and won awards, personally, as well as fivestar ratings for her delicious menu at Angels. She’s a dynamic public speaker, a councillor, a mentor, and a shining example to those who might be tempted to forsake their dreams when faced with opposition or adversity. Though her engagements sometimes take her across the country, she is happiest when she is home—at Angel’s, chatting with a customer, or spending time with her family: Dale, her devoted husband of fourteen years, and their blended family made up of five children and soon-to-be nine grandchildren fill her life with joy and abundance and provide balance for this busy Pathway Angel. — Jeane Watier
CANADIAN PHOTO THAT STANDS OUT
MODEL, Laila Sather PHOTO, Mitch Wiebe from District 12 Photographics
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CANADIAN PHOTOGRAPHY EDITORIAL SERIES
A MODEL/MUA, facebook.com/niamh.geaney PHOTOGRAPHER, facebook.com/SamirDPhotography/, Vancouver
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AfteAn noor Alig n ht
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