Global Entrepreneur, Philanthropist and Humanitarian of the Year, Bret Michaels, has over 100 million records, digital and streams sold worldwide, is a reality TV superstar with some of the highest rated reality shows in history as well as a lifelong type 1 diabetic.
Having had a career that has spanned over 30 years he has built his brand piece by piece and retaining ownership and control of his own personal brand has solidified Bret as a successful entrepreneur and in the words of former Viacom CEO Judy McGrath made him a ‘cultural touchdown’. Bret has produced and stared in record-breaking hit TV shows, (Rock of Love with Bret Michaels, Life as I know it with Bret Michaels and Travel Channel’s Bret Michaels Rock My RV ), is a Celebrity Apprentice winner and was voted NBC Apprentice fan favorite. To date Bret is the only Celebrity Apprentice winner to launch a product from the show to the public. Bret’s Blend Trop-A-Rocka Diet Snapple Tea became an instant hit with the public and has remains one of Snapple’s bestselling flavors to date. Bret’s conglomerate Michaels Entertainment Group Inc. also oversees the entrepreneur’s other business endeavors, such as his Bret Michaels Suite at the Hard Rock Riviera Maya, a line of signature guitars, his Pets Rock Collection with partners PetSmart and his highly successful marketing campaigns with the likes of Nissan, Free Credit Score, Overstock and Hard Rock International. The global and
entrepreneur is also highly recognized as a “Rockstar of Real Estate.” His personally-designed Hard Rock Hotels suite is the largest in the famous hotel chain’s properties and his own real estate spans multiple properties, residential & commercial developments, and homes around the globe and the highly demanded, recent “Behind the Music” episode featuring Bret is currently streaming on Paramount Plus and features tales from the street-level underdog with an UNBROKEN fighting spirit who fought his way from playing in his Pennsylvania garage to continuing to sell out stadiums and arenas around the world. Michaels has also created exclusive video-on-demand content such as “The Big Read,” “Videos, Songs & Stories” and the highly purchased download “Classic Acoustic Songs & Stories” that all provide a deeper intimate look and listen given directly by Michaels.
From raising awareness for the disease, he has lived with his entire life (Type 1 Diabetes) to supporting the military as the son of a veteran, Bret, puts as much passion in his charitable outreaches as he does his music, garnering him the title of Humanitarian of the Year two years in a row. He has inspired millions to support charities he champions such as pet adoptions and childhood cancer. His admiration and support of the military is rooted heavily in his family of former Marines, Army Rangers and Navy Seamen. He has been recognized for his contributions on numerous occasions including being selected for the American Diabetes Associations’ Chair Citation Award and Ambassador for World College Radio (following Coldplay and the Lumineers) where he demonstrated his legendary philanthropy once again by being the only Ambassador to personally match the organization’s financial grant out of his own pocket to keep much-needed college radio stations on the air throughout the pandemic.
For more information: www.bretmichaels.com.
JUNO and 9 x CCMA Award-winning band, The Washboard Union, released their dynamic all-out country anthem “Gather Round” on September 1, 2023 via Universal Music Canada. Written by the three band members and and Jeff Johnston, “Gather Round” celebrates togetherness, and features the band’s signature vocal harmonies. The song pays homage to the pivotal role music plays in all our lives, and it‘s all about those moments with friends that you talk about for the rest of your life. It will be the Canadian country radio focus track when the band’s anticipated EP comes out in November. “Gather Round” follows Washboard’s recent releases “Sometimes You Don’t Need A Plan” and “I Run On Country,”, which was at #13 at Canadian country radio, & has nearly 2 million streams. The Washboard Union were recently nominated for a 2023 CCMA Award and have festival shows in Canada and the US this summer. JUNO AND CCMA AWARD-WINNING BAND thewashboardunion.com The Washboard Union, composed of step-brothers Aaron Grain, Chris Duncombe and their best friend David John Roberts, have carved their place as one of Canada’s top country bands. Some of the band’s many successes include over 81 million streams, 380,000 radio spins, one Platinum and four Gold-certified singles in Canada, nine Top 10 hits, and an awe-inspiring 35+ total award wins including JUNO and CCMA Awards. With more new music coming soon and upcoming tour dates to be announced across the country, The Washboard Union is poised for an incredible 2024.
James Barker Band have fuelled an incredible story over the last eight years, largely on their own, from opening for local bands in dive bars to charting multiple No. 1 singles and hundreds of millions of global streams to headlining festivals and playing stages across North America and Europe. After notching their record-setting gold-certified fourth No. 1 in Canada with “New Old Trucks” feat. 14x Grammy-nominated and multi-PLATINUM selling artist Dierks Bentley the group currently holds the title of the most #1s for a Canadian country group in the BDS/Mediabase era. This latest spot at the top of the charts follows-up their “dynamic country-rock” single (MusicRow) “Over All Over Again,” which also went #1 in 2021. Also in 2022, JBB has gone on to release the summertime smash hit “Wastin Whiskey” as well as “Beer Me” and“Rain all Summer”. With this, the multi-award-winning four-piece is continuing their meteoricascent in Nashville.
Made up of James Barker (lead vocals/guitar), Taylor Abram (guitar/background vocals), Connor Stephen (drums), and Bobby Martin (bass), the members of James Barker Band grew up within an hour of each other in rural towns surrounding Toronto. In 2017 these best-friends saw their hard work pay off when they sent their single “Chills” straight to the top of Billboard’s Canadian Hot 100 chart. From there, James Barker Band released a string of successful singles, including the Gold-certified tracks “Wastin Whiskey”, “New Old Trucks”, “Over All Over Again,” “There’s A Drink For That”, “Just Sayin’,” “It’s Working,” “Lawn Chair Lazy,” “Good Together,” “Summertime,” as well as Platinum-certified songs “Keep It Simple” and “Chills” and a GOLD- certified EP (Game On). Now, as the unstoppable group continues to trailblaze, many miles from their hometowns, the opportunities are limitless – but the band remains grounded in their small-town roots. For more info, visit jamesbarkerband.com.
Open during the Stampede daily from 5pm until midnight. Free admission and must be 18 or over to attend. Each night we have some great music you can dance away into the night.
Daily noon until midnight, stage times vary with each act. Free Stage Entertainment is free to enjoy with daily gate admission.
Some staples include Spruce Meadows Prairie Dogs and Terrance B, Hypnotist, plus our spectacular fireworks performance.
Schedule to be announced
The recipe for our Christmas Market is a twist of something homemade or made for a home, this market offers something for both. We’ve combined a healthy batch of home made treats, stirred in some crafty vendors and added a pinch of your favourite bath and body products created our Medicine Hat Exhibition & Stampede Christmas Market.
260 plus fixed seats designated box seats
Large Functions/ Concerts / Events / Tradeshows / Sports
The Arena is located outside at the North end of the Stampede Grounds. The Arena is ideal for any outdoor activity, from livestock and equestrian sports to motocross and any outdoor activity. The Grandstands feature a concession area, large washrooms, The Grandstand Banquet Room as well as the Hungry Horsemen.
On site catering is available for all of our facilities, offering you one of the best chefs in town. Personalized menu for garden parties, indoor or outdoor parties. Professional staff are pleased to prepare special dishes at your request.
For more information check out their website at shootingstarcanada.com or contact:
The Midway is brought to you by West Coast Amusements
Stampede-goers must be at least 2 years old and 36” tall to ride any ride.
Wristband pre-sale at all Co-op’s & Co-op gas bars.
For more information about the Midway visit West Coast Amusements’ website here
At one-go rodeos and multi-go rodeos points are awarded to 10 places in the go round(s) and average. In the case of a tie, points are added together and split. Also, all contestants will receive 5 pts for competing. The points for the go-round(s) and average are as follows:
For Rodeo Results, Standings and more information from the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association, please click HERE
Two contestants, two horses, two ropes, one steer and one barrier rope. Team roping requires close cooperation
and timing between highly skilled ropers, a header and heeler. As in other timed events, the team ropers
start from boxes on each side of the chute from which the steer is released into the arena. The steer
gets a head start depending on the length of the arena. The header takes off in pursuit, with the heeler
trailing slightly behind. If the header breaks the barrier before the steer completes its head start, the ropers
are assessed a ten second penalty. Once the header makes his catch he turns the steer to expose the back
legs to the heeler. The heeler then attempts to rope both hind legs. If only one is caught, there is a five second
penalty. The clock is stopped when there is no slack in the ropes and the horses are facing each other.
Tie-down roping is the most technical event in rodeo. At the start of the run, the roper must remain behind
the barrier until the calf crosses the scoreline. Breaking the barrier adds ten seconds to the roper’s time.
After roping the calf, the cowboy dismounts from his horse, runs down his rope and lays the calf down by
hand. If the calf is down when he reaches it, he must allow the calf to get up and then lay it down. The
roper then ties any three legs with a “piggin’ string” (a shorter rope he carries between his teeth). The tie
must hold for six seconds after the roper remounts his horse. The work of the horse is crucial; he must rate
the speed of the calf, stop on cue in a single stride then hold the rope taut while the roper runs to his calf.
Timing, coordination and strength are prerequisites for a steer wrestler. To begin with, he must remain behind the
barrier, which is a rope stretched across the front of the starting box, until the steer crosses the scoreline, giving it
a prescribed head start. If the cowboy breaks the barrier, ten seconds are added to his time. The horse is trained
to run beside the steer and then run on by as the steer wrestler reaches for his steer. The steer wrestler catches
the right horn in the crook of his right arm then must hit the ground with his legs extended forward in order to
bring the steer to a halt. Using his left elbow and forearm as leverage under the steer’s nose, he ‘bulldogs’ the
steer to the ground. The steer must be flat on its side with all four legs extended. The second mounted cowboy is
the hazer and it’s his job to keep the steer running straight, allowing the bulldogger to get down on the steer.
One of rodeo’s most popular events, the barrel race requires the rider and her horse to complete a cloverleaf pattern
around three barrels. The time starts when the competitor crosses an electric beam of light (start / finish
line) and the time is completed when she recrosses the line after completing the pattern. Talented riders on fast,
athletic horses that can blaze through the pattern while keeping all three barrels standing are the key to success.
A five second penalty is assessed for a barrel being tipped over, effectively knocking the rider out of the money.
This event is the most physically demanding in rodeo. The cowboy inserts his gloved hand into the suitcase handle-like bareback riggin which is made of leather and is cinched around the horse. The stress on the riding arm is intense, absorbing most of the horse’s power. The rider will be disqualified for failing to keep his spurs over the break of the horse’s shoulders until the first jump out of the chute is complete, for touching the animal or equipment with the free hand, or for getting bucked off before the end of the eight-second ride. Riders try to spur the horse on each jump, reaching as far forward as they can with their feet, then bringing their spurs back toward the riggin. While they look wild and out of control, the great bareback riders are anything but – keeping their bodies in the middle of the horse’s back while working their spurs to advantage for the entire eight seconds.
In the “classic event of rodeo”, the rider spurs from the animal’s shoulders in an arc-like motion toward the
back of the saddle in time with the bronc’s actions. The cowboy rides in an “Association Saddle” with no horn
while holding onto a braided buck rein. He wears spurs with dull rowels and chaps of light leather. The cowboy
places his hand on the rein carefully to maintain balance and avoid either being pulled down over the
front end or launched out ‘the back door’. To qualify for a score, the rider must have his boots over the break
of the horse’s shoulders until the horse has completed his first jump out of the chute. He cannot touch any
part of the animal or equipment with his free hand, lose a stirrup or get bucked off before the end of the eight
second ride. The higher and harder the horse bucks and the better the cowboy spurs-the higher the score.
Rodeo’s most dangerous event and the toughest eight seconds in sport. The bull rider inserts his gloved hand
into the handhold of a flat, braided rope which is passed around the girth of the bull, into the palm of the
hand, around behind the wrist and into the palm of the hand one more time. A weighted cowbell hangs on
the underside of the rope allowing it to fall free when the ride is completed. During the eight second ride, the
cowboy must keep himself close up on the handhold to prevent his arm from straightening and jerking his
hand loose at the same time keeping his free hand from touching the bull. Riders are not required to spur, as
staying on these strong, athletic, loose-hided and often cantankerous animals is difficult enough. But if the
cowboy is able to use his feet, he can improve the mark from the judges. Rather than pick-up men, skilled
‘’bullfighters’ distract the bull at the end of the ride to allow that cowboy to escape to safety.
Breakaway roping is the event comparable to the men’s tie-down roping on the cowboy side except the cowgirls are not required to dismount and tie the calf. In breakaway roping, the cowgirl has a flag tied close to the end of her rope and a nylon string tied from the rope to the saddle horn. When the rope grows tight after the calf is roped, the string breaks away from the saddle horn and the flag goes flying, signaling the timer to stop the clock. The time in the breakaway roping can sometimes get as fast as 2.0 second run. The women must concentrate on the perfect get out and roping the calf clean around the neck.
Proudly Sponsored by Lammle’s Western Wear & Tack
Proudly Sponsored by Richardson’s Jewellery
