Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Spruce Meadows hosts a packed schedule of tournaments that attract the world's
best riders and up to 40,000 spectators a day. The four big tournaments are the
National, the first week of June; Canada One, the last week of June; the North
American, the first week of July; and the Masters, the first week of September.
The Masters is the world's richest show-jumping tournament, with $1 million up for
grabs on the Sunday afternoon ride-off.
In Europe, the world of show-jumping can be very hoity-toity. At Spruce Mead-
ows, the atmosphere couldn't be more different, which makes it a wonderful place to
spend a day-even for non-horse lovers. The pomp and ceremony associated with the
sport is present-it's just not obvious to the casual observer. Instead visitors spread
out picnic lunches on grassy embankments, wander through the stables, and watch
the superstars of the sport up close and personal. During the major tournaments,
browsing through the on-site agricultural fair, arts and crafts booths, and a large
marketplace promoting Alberta attractions will round out a busy day of following
the competitions from ring to ring.
General admission is free. Except on the busiest of days, this will get you a prime
viewing position at any of the rings. The exception is tournament weekends, when
covered reserved seating ($28-45) is the best way to watch the action. To get to
Spruce Meadows on tournament weekends, take the C-train south to Fish Creek-
Lacombe Station, from which bus transfers to the grounds are free. By car, take
Macleod Trail south to Highway 22X and turn right toward the mountains along
Spruce Meadows Way.
RODEO
The pinnacle of any cowboy's career is walking away with the $100,000 winner's check
on the last day of competition in the Calgary Stampede. For the first eight days, 20 of
the world's best cowboys and cowgirls compete in two pools for the right to ride on the
final Sunday. Saturday is a wild-card event. On each of the 10 days, the rodeo starts at
1:30pm. Although Stampede Week is about a lot more than the rodeo, everyone loves to
watch this event. Cowboys compete in bronc riding, bareback riding, bull riding, calf rop-
ing, and steer wrestling, and cowgirls compete in barrel racing. Bull fighting and nonstop
chatter from hilarious rodeo clowns keep the action going between the more traditional
rodeo events.
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