The backbone of Stampede is the rodeo and all its events and the chuckwagon races. To view any of these action packed events in thrilling sound and colour, go to calgary-stampede.com/rodeo/results/

Saddle Bronc Riding
Ride 'em cowboy! This is a wild eight-second ride. Coming out of the chute, the rider must make sure that his spurs are over the break of the horse's shoulders until the animal has completed his first jump. The rider can be disqualified at any time during the ride if he or his equipment touches any part of the horse, if he loses a stirrup or if he gets bucked off. And adding to the fun, he must always keep one hand in the air as the horse bucks, twists and shakes trying to toss him into the dust. It is vitally important that the rider maintains a good rhythm in this event. He must instantly get in time with the horse, all the while spurring the horse (the spurs' rowels are dull). The regulations stipulate that the cowboy must use his own Canadian Professional Rodeo Association approved saddle, dull spurs, chaps and a braided rein. The length of the rein is critical and in combination with the right grip, can help with balance and maybe keep the rider on his buckin' bronc.

Bareback Riding
Imagine climbing onto a horse that has only some padding on its back in lieu of a saddle, and hanging on by a leather handhold attached to the pad. Now make sure your spurs are over the break of the animal's shoulders, keep one hand in the air, the other gripping the rigging (that padding we mentioned earlier) while your mount explodes out of the chute, bucking and twisting higher and harder than you ever imagined possible. Now stay on for eight seconds without touching any part of the horse's body or rigging. You're out of the competition if you do any of that or if you get bucked off. This is very demanding physically and the rider's arm absorbs all the stress as the horse bucks wildly. Top scores are earned for the highest, wildest ride. Eight seconds can last nearly forever.

Bull Riding
The first thing to know about bull riding is to never, ever underestimate the bull. Competitors worth their oats respect these great beasts as they participate in what is the rodeo's most exciting and dangerous event. The cowboy is tethered to the wildly bucking Brahma/cross bull by a braided manila rope and occasionally, the seat of his pants. He must try and keep his body close to his handhold on the rope during the ride, his bent arm being the best way to maintain this position. If his arm straightens out, he could easily lose his handhold and his wild ride. The rider is disqualified if his free hand touches the bull or if he is bucked off before the end of the eight-second ride. Because of the danger, bullfighting clowns are in the arena with each competitor. The 'clown' distracts the bull when a rider is thrown or when he dismounts and leaves the area.

Calf Roping
This timed event is a team effort between horse and rider as they race to rope and tie a calf and attempt to beat the clock and the other ropers. In calf roping, the calf must cross the scoreline, in other words get a good head start, before the horse and rider break the chute's barrier rope and race after it. If the horse and rider break too soon, a 10-second penalty is assessed. The horse plays a very important role in all of this. He chases down the calf, judging its speed, stops on cue in a single stride and holds the rope taut while the cowboy races to the calf. When the calf is roped, the cowboy dismounts and runs down the rope to the calf, throws it down, and ropes and ties three legs. The tie must hold for six seconds. If the calf is down, the roper will lose time because the animal must be standing.

Steer Wrestling
In this event, as in calf roping, the steer gets a head start and must cross the scoreline before the rider breaks the barrier rope as he comes out of the starting box. A 10-second penalty is assessed if the rider breaks through too soon. The horse runs a course by the steer and as he passes, the rider grips the steer's right horn. He leaps off with his legs extended forward, almost braking. This action should bring the steer to a complete stop. At this point he uses his left hand under the animal's jaw as leverage and attempts to throw it off balance and wrestle it to the ground. The steer must be flat on its side before the official time is scored. This event requires impeccable timing, superb co-ordination and plenty of strength. A hazer on horseback works this event in tandem with the steer wrestler. His job is to keep the steer running on as straight a course as possible.

Ladies Barrel Racing
This is the only ladies' event in professional rodeo. In the race, the contestant must cross the scoreline and then run a cloverleaf pattern around three barrels and race back across the scoreline. The rider can begin with either the left or right barrel. She faces disqualification if the cloverleaf pattern isn't followed. If a barrel is knocked down, the rider is assessed a five-second penalty. If she can hold the barrel from falling, while mounted, she will not be penalized. This race is timed to the hundredth of a second.

The 2000 Rangeland Derby: the Chuckwagon Races
A Stampede tradition and perennial favourite since the first race in 1923, the Rangeland Derby is a rollicking competitive event. One driver will take the championship title and the $50,000 purse and will hold claim to being the best chuckwagon driver in the world until 2001's Rangeland Derby.

Each evening from July 7 to 16 at 8 PM, nine heats of four chuckwagons flanked by four outriders, will race around the half-mile track. The outriders load the chuckwagons and race alongside. In chucks, the victory isn't just to the swiftest driver but to the one with the best cumulative time based on the first nine days’ races. The drivers also attempt to race penalty free. Penalties (see below for kinds of penalties) add seconds to their total times and can make the difference between winning and losing.

Telus' chuckwagon driver, Mark Sutherland enthuses "Calgary is where all the money is. Calgary is where all the glory is." The winner of the final day sudden death race takes the biggest purse of the chucks, $50,000.

Mark raced penalty free in 1996, in his first Rangeland Derby. We're with ya Mark.

Penalty Codes

1. pf - penalty free (that's what you wanna be)

   Outriding Penalties

2. lo - late outrider
3. okb - outrider knocked over a barrel
4. okbb - outrider knocked over both barrels
5. oi - outrider interference with a wagon or another outrider
6. snl - stove not loaded
7. sog - stove off ground
8. omb - outrider missed a barrel, ombb - outrider missed both barrels
9. oalt - outrider finishing ahead of lead team
10. off - outrider failing to finish
11. ao - assistance to an outrider by a non contestant after the start of race

    Wagon Penalties

12. wi - wagon interference with another wagon
13. wio - wagon interference with an outrider
14. wkb - wagon knocked over a barrel, wkbb - wagon knocked over both barrels
15. wmb - wagon missed a barrel, wmbb - wagon missed both barrels
16. wab - wagon ahead of the barrel at start of race
17. wsah - wagon starting ahead of the horn - same as "wah"
18. wah - wagon starting ahead of the horn - same as "wsah"
19. fs - false start
20. fs btb - 2nd false start in same race, back to barn
21. atd - assistance to driver after the start of race by a non participant
22. lt - loose tarp
23. 50,000 - No time
24. 60,000 - scratched. Driver unable to compete due to injury to himself or his horses after the draw had been made for that weekend of racing.

    
    

• Nine heats consisting of four chuckwagons, each accompanied by four outriders, are in the race.
• The track is called Stampede Park's "Half Mile of Hell". It's actually 5/8 mile.
• A track record of 1:13:12 was set by Reg Johnstone in 1994.
• This is the 79th running of the Rangeland Derby.
• The official regulations stipulate that the combined weight of the chuckwagon, the driver and the stove must be a minimum of 1.325 pounds.
• The stove, or gear, is loaded into the back of the chuckwagon by an outrider at the beginning of the race while another outrider holds the lead team steady.
• The outriders must finish within a certain distance of the winning chuckwagon or they will be assessed penalties.
• Four thoroughbred horses, especially suited to racing, are used to pull each chuckwagon.

  
  Calgary Stampede Rangeland Derby Champions
  Telus chuckwagon driver, Mark Sutherland, comes from good stock. His father, Kelly Sutherland, has 8 championships under his belt.
  1999 Kelly Sutherland
  1998 Kelly Sutherland
  1997 Kelly Sutherland
  1996 Edgar Baptiste
  1995 Ward Willard
  1994 Tom Glass
  1993 Jerry Bremner
  1992 Tom Glass
  1991 Dallas Dorchester
  1990 Dave Lewis
  1989 Buddy Bensmiller
  1988 Dave Lewis
  1987 Tom Glass
  1986 Kelly Sutherland
  1985 Ralph Vigen
  1984 Dallas Dorchester
  1983 Tom Glass
  1982 Dave Lewis
  1981 Bruce Craige
  1980 Herman Flad
  1979 Buddy Bensmiller
  1978 Kelly Sutherland
  1977 Kelly Sutherland
  1976 Ralph Vigen
  1975 Kelly Sutherland
  1974 Kelly Sutherland