Stampede #1

The Stampede has arrived again, and for the first time since I started working in photography, I'll be covering part of the spectacle.

The Stampede, for me, started at 5:45 a.m. on July 9. When I found out I would have to wake up that early I felt a little like Bart Simpson, there's a five in the morning? I had to be up this early because I was riding in the Stampede Parade.

Originally the Eagle's Publisher, Jack Tennant, was going to ride with the Cochrane Posse. The Posse had invited several children from the Children's Wish foundation to ride with them and use disposable camera's to record their experiance. Jack was going to photograph them until he realized that if someone from the Eagle was going to ride in the parade and take photos they should know what they're doing. Thats where the early wake up call and I came in.

I had to be at the Fort Calgary at 6:30 a.m. so that everyone involved had time to get organized onto their horses or wagon and head off to the judges.

Although it was painful to wake up that early, I can now say that not only was I a participant in the Calgary Stampede Parade, but that I was with the Cochrane Posse when they won first place for Best Western Heritage Entry.

It was a neat experiance to be in the parade, but I can say without a shadow of a doubt, it is a terrible way to see or cover the parade.