Calgary Stampede Announces New Rules for the Rangeland Derby and Stampede Rodeo
Calgary – The Calgary Stampede is pleased to announce that it is moving forward with a comprehensive package of rule and format changes for the Rangeland Derby and the Stampede Rodeo. They are designed to provide additional safety measures for both iconic sports. The changes continue to demonstrate the Stampede’s ongoing commitment to make changes that are right for our community.
“The safety of all participants in the Calgary Stampede – both animal and humans – is our number one priority and always has been”, says Paul Rosenberg, vice president, Programming, Calgary Stampede. “These changes help insure that rodeo and chuckwagon racing at the Calgary Stampede remain as two of the most exciting sports in the world.”
One of the most important new initiatives will take place before the Rangeland Derby even begins. All horses will undergo thorough arrival inspections by a team of veterinarians before being allowed to compete. Another significant format change will see the number of outriders reduced from four per team, to two per team for all nine heats. The Stampede’s new outrider format will align itself with the racing formats of both the World Professional Chuckwagon Association (WPCA) and the Canadian Professional Chuckwagon Association (CPCA).
“We’re confident the Stampede is making these important rule and format changes to make the Rangeland Derby even safer for our drivers, riders and horses,” says Pat Powell, president, WPCA. Coleman Carey, president, CPCA adds, “Nobody cares more about animals than the Stampede and the drivers who bring their animals to Calgary to compete in the sport of chuckwagon racing.”
In rodeo, a significant rule change will take place in the tie-down roping and steer wrestling events where a judge will have the discretion of calling a re-run or a no-time if a calf or steer exhibits an obvious injury during competition. “The Canadian Professional Rodeo Association (CPRA) is very supportive of the changes for the Stampede format,” says Dale Leschiutta, president, CPRA. “The experience in Calgary will continue to be unique in the world of pro rodeo.”
Over the past several years, the Stampede has consistently implemented major rule and format changes in order to reinforce that safety has always been the primary concern of rodeo and chuckwagon race organizers.
A complete list of rodeo and chuckwagon racing rules and format changes appears in the Backgrounder included.
The new rules and format changes will be in effect for The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth, July 8-17.
Calgary Stampede Rodeo and Rangeland Derby New rule and format changes:
Following, is a list of rule and format changes for the Rangeland Derby and Stampede Rodeo which will be in effect for the 2011 Calgary Stampede.
Rangeland Derby
Outrider numbers:
Align with both professional chuckwagon associations and reduce the number of outriders per heat from four to two.
Fitness to compete:
All horses will be given a thorough inspection by a team of veterinarians upon arrival at Stampede Park and prior to competition.
Drivers must submit an inventory of horses for competition and the inventory of horses will be subject to ongoing veterinarian inspections.
Drivers will be asked to submit a list of horses competing daily by 4 p.m. for a thorough pre-race inspection. If a horse is found not fit to compete, it will be “scratched” for that evening.
Post-race inspections of all horses as they leave the track.
Formula for rest days for wagon and outrider horses:
Mandatory rest days for all horses – at least one rest day in four and a horse cannot run more that three consecutive days.
Enhanced Track Maintenance:
Two additional harrowings will be completed with the option of adding water to the track surface. Harrowing would take place after heats 2, 4, 6 and 8.
Competitors will be rotated in the heats so as to allow all drivers to compete on a freshly groomed surface in heats 1 – 8. Heat 9 will always run on a freshly groomed surface.
Calgary Stampede Rodeo
Obvious injury:
At a judges discretion, if a calf (tie-down roping) or a steer (steer wrestling) exhibits an obvious injury during competition, the contestant will be flagged “out” and receive either a re-run or, in the judges discretion, if the injury was caused by the contestant, a “no-time”.
New guideline for Jerk-down rule:
If a calf is jerked off all four feet and its body touches the ground prior to the roper reaching the calf, the roper will be disqualified from that go-round.
Legal catch:
In tie-down roping, any catch, other that a clean head catch, will result in the roper being disqualified from that go-round.
All other Tie-Down Roping rules will be enforced as per the 2011 CPRA rulebook.