Yeehaw! It's Stampede Time!

I have a love/hate relationship with the Stampede.

I'm a native Calgarian and have never missed the Stampede. I go every year, I go on the rides, I play some games, I eat the corndogs and the mini-donuts. I love it! I love the atmosphere in the city for these 10 days. I love the free breakfasts all over the city and the party feel.

However...

I don't like the rodeo, I think it's a horrible display of animal abuse, same with the chuckwagon races. I'm tired of the cowboy mentality. Calgary is a vibrant, cosmopolitan city but all we are known for is being a bunch of rednecks. I think the way our newcasters play dressup and report about Afghanistan is silly.

I would like to see the Stampede be just a part of our city and one of MANY reasons to visit. I would like visitors from around the world to know there is so much more to my hometown than corndogs and animal cruelty.

CN