Because the 2011 Calgary Stampede Lotteries advanced ticket campaign is on now!  And this year the Lotteries feature more than $1.4 million in prizes, including trucks, boats, a fifth-wheel trailer, luxury vacations, a dream home and more than $310,000 in cash! 

What is fantastic about the Calgary Stampede Lotteries is that by giving yourself a chance to win by purchasing tickets, someone else can feel lucky too. 

This is because the lotteries support local charities and make a positive difference in our communities.  In fact, over the past decade, the Calgary Stampede Lotteries have distributed more than $21 million to various community projects in southern Alberta, as well as five not-for-profit organizations – the Calgary North Hill Lions Club, the Kinsmen Club of Calgary, the Rotary Club of Calgary South, the Calgary Stampede Foundation, and the Calgary Marching Show Band Association. 

So whether you feel lucky enough to win one of these amazing prizes or not, participating makes you a winner in the minds of the thousands of people every year who benefit from the money raised by the Calgary Stampede Lotteries.  It also makes you a winner in the eyes of the 1,500 volunteer ticket sellers who contribute over 26,000 volunteer hours each year and fill over 4,000 volunteer shifts during the 10 days of the Calgary Stampede. 

So … do you feel lucky?  Because you should, since purchasing a ticket package for Calgary Stampede Lotteries makes you a champion in our community. 

Advance tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at calgarystampede.com/lotteries or by phone at 403.531.8008 or toll free by calling 1.888.568.8616.

Get your tickets today and help spread the luck around!

PP

One could say that the life of a cowboy is extreme enough. But the Calgary Stampede is really taking it to the next level with the Calgary Stampede Cowboy Up Challenge on July 9-11, 2011.

The “Extreme Cowboy Race,” one of the fastest growing equine sports. The extreme cowboy race is a timed and judged event. Horse and rider race through a series of obstacles designed to push them both out of their comfort zones. Sort cattle, shoot arrows from the back of the horse, jump logs and other obstacles, run through plastic curtains, carry hay, go through water crossings…the list goes on.

A rider myself, I have competed in events similar to this (maybe just a bit less extreme) and I can tell you, from experience, this is a lot harder than it sounds.

Native Texan Craig Cameron is the man behind the sport. He actually started with a reality TV show, challenging cowboys from across the US to participate in races at his Double Horn Ranch in Bluff Dale, TX. The TV show sparked interest across North America. In 2009, the first year of competition, the Extreme Cowboy Association (EXCA) held 70 events in 22 states.

Cameron is in Calgary this week to host a clinic and demonstration for Canadian cowboys (and cowgirls) interested in competing in this fast-paced sport. Check out the demonstrations during Aggie Days on April 9 & 10 at the Stampede Corral.

This is the second year for the Calgary Stampede Cowboy Up Challenge. Click the link below for a clip of the 2010 winner, Glenn Stewart and Genuine Jet Smooth.

2010 Calgary Stampede Cowboy Up Challenge Winner Glenn Stewart

Our own Grandstand Show Musical Director, David Pierce, brings home the Emmy for Outstanding Musical Direction!! Dave won this incredible award, beating out his “acknowledged ‘heroes’ in the music biz” – people like Canadian Producer David Foster and Hairspray composer Marc Shaiman.  An incredible feat! Congratulations Dave!!   

Best known for his fresh approach to orchestral writing, Emmy-award winner Dave Pierce is as equally comfortable conducting a 100 piece live studio orchestra as he is producing a midi-score using computers and samplers.  His sound has been described by Film Score Monthly as “son of John Williams meets Jerry Goldsmith”. Critically acclaimed across music genres, Pierce’s style spans from big band  to cinematic infused scores.  

Dave Pierce wins the Emmy!!

An alumnus of Berklee College of Music (1992), Pierce regularly works in all major markets; New York, L.A., Nashville, Toronto and Vancouver.  He orchestrated music for Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Concert Tour and Jesus Christ Superstar Gospel, and has worked with legendary entertainment producers to develop many successful projects including The Calgary Stampede’s Evening Grandstand Show, Radio City Music Hall’s Christmas Spectacular featuring The Rockettes, NBC’s Macy’s Parade and many television awards shows including the ACMA’s in USA and the Gemini Awards in Canada.   

In 2010, Pierce was the Music Director and Composer for the Vancouver Olympic Winter Games. His scores accompanied the Opening, Medals and Closing Ceremonies which were viewed by a television audience of 3.5 billion people.  The Olympic project entailed scoring over five hours of original music, producing sessions, developing creative concept with the ceremonies team and conducting over 500 hours of orchestra, choir and big band recordings.
 
Often referenced by the media as “Canada’s next David Foster”, in August 2010 Pierce won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Direction for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics in the same category as fellow nominee and musical inspiration David Foster. Pierce has arranged music for a multitude of artists including Bryan Adams, Carrie Underwood, Michael Bublé, Nelly Furtado, Jann Arden, Tommy Tune, Sarah McLachlan, k.d. lang, Alanis Morissette and Petula Clark. He has produced gold and platinum selling CD’s including EMI released CD’s for the Opening and Closing of the 2010 Olympic Wintergames featuring Nickelback, Avril Lavigne, Donald Sutherland, Hedley, Simple Plan, K-OS, Joni Mitchell, Measha Brueggergosman, Ben Heppner and Nikki Yanofsky.    

In 2005 Pierce was commissioned to compose a new work for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, featuring a symphony orchestra and one-thousand voice choir.  Symphony Orchestras across North America regularly perform Pierce’s music.

reposted with credit:  http://www.scorecreative.com/DPM/page0/page0.html  

For more information please see the Calgary Herald coverage on Dave:   

http://www.calgaryherald.com/health/Calgary+Emmy+winner+reputation+keeps+soaring/3456546/story.html

What a wild ride!

Our thanks go out to all of you who lived up to your promises to make the 2010 edition of The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth the best ever. You did it! You changed your status to Yahoo, you wore your hat head proudly and you showed your kids how the West was fun. Thank you all so much. We look forward to seeing you again next July and Here. All Year. Yahoo!

Stampede 2011 is just around the corner. For a chance to enjoy it in true VIP style,  enter our amazing City Slickers contest to win a unique cowboy adventure package for two!

This awesome package covers your flights between Toronto and Calgary, 2 nights accommodation in Calgary and, of course, tickets to The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth, 2011 edition.  You’ll enjoy Platinum rodeo seats, and Gold GMC Rangeland Derby and Grandstand Show seats. Ever wondered what it’s like behind the scenes at Stampede? Now you can find out with a tour of the rodeo chutes where you’ll get a rare close-up-and-personal look at the cowboys as they prepare to ride some of the rankest bulls and broncs on the circuit. You’ll also get to meet the chuckwagon drivers and their horses on an exclusive VIP tour of the chuckwagon barns.

The contest is open to residents of Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador. Click here for more details.