CBC Sports is once again home to “The Greatest Outdoor Show On Earth,” with daily coverage of the Calgary Stampede beginning Friday across CBC, the free CBC Gem streaming service and Sportsnet ONE, as well as internationally available live streams at cbcsports.ca and via the CBC Sports app for iOS and Android devices. This year’s coverage from July 5–14 will focus on the high-intensity excitement of the Stampede Rodeo and the GMC Rangeland Derby chuckwagon races, with expert commentary highlighting the established veterans and rising stars of the arena and track, as well as their unique personal journeys.
The Calgary Stampede is the world’s largest outdoor rodeo, featuring top-ranked cowboys and cowgirls competing for more than $2 million in prize money, plus the GMC Rangeland Derby chuckwagon races with a purse of more than $1.45 million. CBC and Sportsnet ONE will combine to provide daily coverage of the rodeo and chuckwagon races on television, with CBC’s broadcasts also available to stream on CBC Gem. CBC’s coverage of the Calgary Stampede will be available to audiences outside of Canada via live streams of all events at cbcsports.ca and the CBC Sports app. The CBC broadcast schedule includes an encore presentation of the Parade on July 6 and nightly wrap-up shows recapping the top performances, with live afternoon and evening coverage over the final weekend (July 13–14). Sportsnet ONE will carry live afternoon coverage of the rodeo and live nighttime coverage of the chuckwagon races every day from July 5–12, with select broadcasts also available on Sportsnet. The full broadcast and streaming schedules are available at cbcsports.ca and sportsnet.ca.
CBC’s coverage begins Friday at 11 a.m. ET (8 a.m. PT) at cbcsports.ca and 9 a.m. MT on CBC (in Alberta only) with the Stampede Parade, hosted by CBC Calgary’s Doug Dirks and Angela Knight. Heartland’s Graham Wardle reprises his role as sideline reporter along the parade route, taking a break from production on Season 13 of the long-running hit drama. The new season of Heartland will premiere on CBC and CBC Gem in fall 2019. The series will also be represented at the parade by star Amber Marshall, who is the 2019 Parade Marshal.
Kelly VanderBeek will host CBC Sports’ weeknight coverage throughout the Calgary Stampede, in addition to hosting on Sunday July 7 and 14, wrapping up the action of the day and all coverage of the GMC Rangeland Derby chuckwagon races. Veteran Stampede broadcaster Mark Lee will call play-by-play for all rodeo coverage while Dirks will once again take on the play-by-play role for the chuckwagon races. CBC Sports’ Scott Russell will take the reins for prime-time broadcasts on July 6 and Championship Weekend, July 13–14, with legendary rodeo announcer Bob Tallman — celebrating his 50th year as a rodeo announcer — joining Russell as a special guest for added analysis and insight.
A veteran team of analysts and reporters round out CBC Sports’ broadcast team for the Calgary Stampede, including four-time Calgary Stampede champion Tom Glass and chuckwagon expert Billy Melville, who will both provide analysis for GMC Rangeland Derby coverage, with Olympic Games medallist Mellisa Hollingsworth reporting. Former saddle-bronc rider Butch Knowles will serve as analyst for rodeo coverage, and Hollingsworth will report as well as provide analysis for barrel racing coverage.
CBC Sports will offer additional features that provide a broader look at the key names participating in this year’s events, including: new competitors Pascal Isabelle, a bareback rider from Quebec who came west to chase his dream of becoming a professional bareback rider; “City Kid” Connor Hamilton of Calgary, who switched from hockey to bareback riding; and chuckwagon driver Danny Ringuette, who is making his first appearance at the races this year. Veterans being showcased include Tallman, at his ranch in Dallas; fan favourite Ray Mitsuing, competing in his final Stampede after a nearly 40-year career in chuckwagon racing; and the return of bull rider Chase Outlaw, who suffered a horrific accident after the Stampede last year, but returns to make his claim on victory. These features, and more, will be available at cbcsports.ca and via the CBC Sports app.
This year, CBC Calgary’s Stampede Posse, made up of hosts, staff and CBC Kids mascot Ceebee, will be visiting six community pancake breakfasts around the city including the Ismaili Muslim Stampede Breakfast, Siksika Family Services Stampede Breakfast, and Developmental Disabilities Resource Centre of Calgary, with live broadcasts from select locations. CBC Calgary is also hosting a sold-out rooftop party on Friday, July 5 featuring a performance by local singer-songwriter JJ Shiplett – entry will be granted first to ticketholders, followed by the rush line. On Tuesday, July 9, hosts David Gray and Angela Knight will be taking CBC Radio’s Calgary Eyeopener on the road with a “Stampede Edition” walking show through the Stampede grounds, also available to watch via CBC Calgary’s Facebook page. For all CBC Calgary events during Stampede, including contesting opportunities, visit cbc.ca/giddyup.
