The Calgary Stampede

The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth is the billing Calgarians give their annual Stampede, and devotees of the Old West, at least, agree it is a reasonable claim. For 10 days each summer—this year, July 9-18—the whole Canadian city dresses in Western regalia, there is square dancing in the downtown streets, hundreds of Indians encamp and the world's top rodeo performers compete for more than $100,000 in prizes, in all events from wild-row milking to riding outlaw horses. Paul Hogarth, one of Britain's best-known graphic artists, drew the scenes from last year's Stampede that appear on the following pages. "For me," he says, "an Englishman raised on movie Westerns, this was the real stuff, all right!" Opposite is the main entrance to the Stampede, a reconstruction of the North West Mounted Police post that preceded the building of the present city of Calgary.

Calgary features championship calf roping and tying, Steer wrestling and bull and bronc riding among regular events. In the chutes, waiting riders are accompanied by sons and tomboy daughters.

Tall, colorful tepees of the Sarcee, Stony, Blackfoof and Peigan tribes embellish the grounds: plain and fancy attire of the Stampede's spectators helps, too.