City Notebook: Saddle up

By COLLIN GALLANT on July 22, 2023.

cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant

Time to shine up your boots and head into town, to quote Corb Lund – the Medicine Hat Stampede arrives in the coming days with all those touchstones of Christmas in July.

Fireworks, pancakes, sunburn, wranglers, newscasters in bolo ties, punky teenagers carrying massive stuffed animals – what would the hottest week of the year be without them?

Pretty dull, I agree.

The annual event may be familiar but it’s thought a good dose of familiar is needed every so often, and who wouldn’t prefer it to wild and weird listings which the world seems to be experiencing.

It’s a tried and true format, and though it maybe doesn’t require a deep academic thesis, it’s an expression of community in a community where folks can’t even agree on what to do with stray cats.

So, whether you’re resting up this weekend (it’s gonna be hot) or starting early, start get ready for the week ahead.

Dash for Cash

Hey, what ever happened to “Chicken Bingo?” (Talk among yourselves.) The Medicine Hat Library had a good little pre-Stampede fundraiser going for a few years. These days it seems that every group has a 50-50 licence, but we’ve always been surprised that no enterprising fundraising group has ever launched Chase the Ace in the city.

Either way, if gambling to support a cause is your thing, the draw booths on the grounds will be open for business on Wednesday.

And about rodeo…

The Calgary Stampede’s big-name, invite-only rodeo format is likely so well-entrenched by now that it can’t be reformed.

And after Maple Creek’s Jared Parsonage rode away with $50,000 and a bull-riding bronze this month, many may say why bother.

But, the fact that one of the biggest money rodeo’s in Canada can feature almost exclusively American competitors still doesn’t sit well with this former rodeo writer and still rodeo fan. Go ahead, call me cantankerous.

Maybe Canada should have at least one bonafide world-class stop in its circuit, with all the glitz of go-round in Vegas.

But is the corporate crowd that fills the grandstands in Calgary really concerned about the world rankings?

Ditto, fans at Stampedes in Medicine Hat or Murraydale for that matter?

Don’t they just want to cheer for relatable cowboys and cowgirls from relatable places who maybe just need a good night under the bright lights to turn their summer around?

The Canadian Tour, with its association sponsored by Peavey Mart, starts up it the Hat on Thursday with a promising line-up.

And, speaking of grassroots, the Canadian Senior Rodeo Circuit finished up its local event at the Dunmore Equestrian Centre on Friday.

Politics

Just when you think you have the number of Alberta independence movements sorted out, here comes a bit of a curve ball.

We’re told that in the coming weeks Hatters can expect to see billboards appear in town promoting the “AB51” project. The “AB” is for Alberta and 51 is for “51st” – as in Alberta becoming the 51st member of the United States. It’s a project backed by former Medicine Hat radio personality and 2015 Wildrose Party candidate Val Olson.

A look ahead

City business is on the backburner as council enters its traditional break in late July and early August, but expect some politicking and elbow rubbing next week as Premier Danielle Smith will be in town for Stampede festivities.

100 years ago

Bells of progress rang in Medicine Hat, the News reported this week in 1923, as it the Medicine Hat Steam Laundry Co. installed a new device that “softened water.” As well, the Ogilvies Mill was toasted on its 10th anniversary in operation.

In the region, the Winnifred Fair provided a flag to fly high in the town, according to an editorial, and Medicine Hat’s Stampede was on the horizon.

A hailstone 14 inches around was recovered at Tuxford, Sask. in a storm described as hail falling too far apart to cause much damage. At Cadillac, a woman reportedly had to be extracted from her corset with bolt cutters after she was struck by lightning and the metal frame of the garment fused.

Famed rebel Pancho Villa was murdered by his secretary in northern Mexico, who was then slain in a battle between factions of Villa’s armies.

Citing the discovery of insulin from the glands of animals to control diabetes, a British doctor published a paper that theorized the mass breeding of chimpanzees could promote eternal youth.

Collin Gallant covers city politics and a variety of topics for the News. Reach him at 403-528-5664 or via email at cgallant@medicinehatnews.com