CBC Sports Provides Daily Coverage of the Calgary Stampede

“The Greatest Outdoor Show On Earth” returns to CBC Sports this week with daily coverage of the Calgary Stampede beginning Friday across CBC and Sportsnet ONE as well as internationally available live streams at cbcsports.ca and via the CBC Sports app. This year’s coverage from July 6-15 will focus on the intense, heart-pounding action of the rodeo and GMC Rangeland Derby chuckwagon races, and highlight the successful veterans and up-and-coming stars of the arena and track as well as the captivating storylines outside of them.

The Calgary Stampede is the world’s largest outdoor rodeo, featuring top-ranked cowboys and cowgirls competing for more than $2 million in prizes, 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 internationally available live streams of events at cbcsports.ca and via the CBC Sports app for iOS and Android devices. The CBC broadcast schedule includes an afternoon encore presentation of the Parade and nighttime coverage of the GMC Rangeland Derby on July 7, with live afternoon and evening coverage over the final weekend (July 14-15), and weeknight wrap-up shows recapping the top performances. In addition, cbcsports.ca will feature daily live streaming action in the afternoon and nighttime for Canadian and international audiences. Sportsnet ONE will carry live afternoon coverage of the rodeo and live nighttime coverage of the chuckwagon races every day from July 6-13 (excluding July 7 for the chuckwagon races). 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 takes a break from production on Season 12 of the long-running hit family drama to undertake the role of reporter along the parade route. The new season of HEARTLAND premieres on CBC in winter 2019. The Stampede Parade will be led by 2018 Parade Marshal Mark McMorris, a two-time bronze medallist at the Olympic Games in snowboarding.

Kelly VanderBeek will host CBC Sports’ weeknight coverage, wrapping up the action of the day, and all coverage of the GMC Rangeland Derby chuckwagon races — with co-host Mark Lee on July 7 — while Lee will host and call play-by-play for rodeo coverage. Dirks will take on the play-by-play role for the chuckwagon races. Ron MacLean will take the reins for prime-time broadcasts on Championship Weekend, July 14 and 15, with legendary rodeo announcer Bob Tallman joining him as a special guest for added analysis and insight of the rodeo competition.

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. Former saddle-bronc rider Butch Knowles will serve as analyst for rodeo coverage with Olympic Games medallist and barrel racer Mellisa Hollingsworth reporting. She will also provide analysis for barrel racing coverage.

On Wednesday, July 11, local CBC Radio One’s Calgary Eyeopener (6-8:30 a.m. MT) and The Homestretch (3-6 p.m. MT) will host the day’s shows live from the CBC Sports tent on the Stampede midway. Also on July 11 from 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. MT, the CBC Sports tent will host a public autograph-signing with the Canadian bobsleigh and skeleton teams who competed at the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018. In addition, meet-and-greets will be held with rodeo athletes and chuckwagon drivers throughout the Stampede. CBC Calgary will be visiting many Stampede events throughout the city over the 10 days including the Ismaili Muslim Stampede Breakfast, the Calgary Military Family Resource Centre Breakfast, and the Best of the East Stampede Breakfast. For all CBC Calgary events during Stampede, including numerous contesting opportunities, visit cbc.ca/mycalgary.

CBC Sports will offer features that give fans a behind-the-scenes look at the key names participating in this year’s events, with topics including: three-time saddle-bronc winner Zeke Thurston and how his life has changed since his rodeo success; star rookie barrel racer Diane Skocdopole and her life on the ranch with her barrel and work horse; and veteran bull rider Scott Schiffner, looking back at his career; in addition to coverage of select up-and-coming rodeo cowboys. Lee and Knowles will host an online-only daily selection of highlights, Rodeo Roundup. These features will be available at cbcsports.ca and the CBC Sports app.