When Guy Weadick arrived in Calgary in 1912, he thought the city was beginning to forget its western roots. Guy and his wife Florence Ledue had built quite a reputation as western entertainers.
Weadick was well aware of the powerful marketing attraction of the old West even in 1912. He got together with a CPR livestock agent, H.C. McMullen and they hatched the vision for a huge celebration of the cowboy and they got solid support from two more Trail Blazers, George Lane and A.E. Cross. Their vision became reality with the first ever Calgary Stampede held in September.
Weadick arranged for 400 head of Mexican steers and as many wild horses as he could find to be brought in from the surrounding ranches. The offer of $20,000 in prize money drew top competitors from all over North America. Nearly 2000 First Nation’s people took part in the first Stampede parade.
For the next twenty years, Guy Weadick ran the Calgary Stampede in addition to promoting his Wild West shows around the world and went on the become the owner of the Stampede Ranch, at that time located west of Calgary.
The Guy Weadick Award has been presented to the chuckwagon or rodeo competitor who best embodies the best of what the word cowboy means since 1969.
Guy Weadick’s last appearance at the Stampede was in the parade in 1952, one year before he died.
