See it, hear it, feel it.
Attending a rodeo is a sensory experience. It's not just what you see in the arena, but what you hear that completes the package.
You've bought your rodeo ticket. You've parked the car and you're heading for the grandstand (which at the Calgary Stampede seats 20,000 people). It's 15 minutes to the start of the rodeo. Even before you've sat down and opened your program, you're hearing some of the sounds that will be a part of the next three hours of your life:
- Upbeat music (surprisingly little of it country)
- The voice of the announcer(s) setting the stage for the start of the rodeo
- The program hawkers moving through the stands
- And the buzz of anticipation from the rest of the crowd
At the Calgary Stampede, the arena is the focal point of the rodeo action. And immediately in front of the arena is the grandstand stage. It's from there that the voices of the Stampede rodeo excite the crowd, convey information and entertain. The three Calgary Stampede rodeo announcers bring almost 75 years of experience to the microphones.
Bob Tallman, a former tie-down roper, is an eight-time announcer of the year in the United States. Synonymous with many of the biggest rodeos in the U.S. and Canada, Tallman's distinctive voice, knowledge and endless enthusiasm for the sport have made him one of rodeo's most recognizable personalities. When he's not announcing, Tallman enjoys his cattle operation headquartered in Poolville, Texas. He'll join CBC Sports' broadcaster Mark Lee for the network's coverage of the Stampede Finals on Sunday, July 13 (4:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. MT).
Wayne Brooks - 2005 Pro Rodeo announcer of the year Once a rough stock competitor, Wayne made the transition to announcing by combining first-hand knowledge of the sport with a smooth and professional delivery. Wayne and his family travel the rodeo road from their home in Lampasas, Texas.
Dave Poulsen has been a Calgary Stampede announcer for 22 consecutive years. A former competitor and rodeo clown, Poulsen has appeared at the Canadian Finals as well as rodeos and PBR Bull Ridings from the West Coast to the Maritimes. He's also an accomplished writer with 20 published books (most for children and young adult readers).
If you've never been to a rodeo, you'd be surprised by the fact that music is almost a constant. And in the case of Benje Bendele, the Stampede's rodeo music co-ordinator, sound effects are also a big part of the mix. Bendele, from San Antonio, Texas, has co-ordinated music and sound effects for the National Finals Rodeo as well as the Calgary Stampede. Perched in a sound booth surrounded by computers, Bendele's knowledge of both music and rodeo find him able to play the right piece of music or inject the perfect sound effect at just the right time.
Fireworks and pyrotechnics help make the magic of the Calgary Stampede rodeo. From the opening ceremonies with mounted cowgirls galloping through smoke and percussion to a celebration explosion at the end a great ride, pyro specialist Peter Gebraad and his crew punctuate every afternoon rodeo performance with sight and sound - no, make that SIGHT and SOUND! From rodeos to New Years Eve celebrations to international competitions, Gebraad's fireworks expertise has lit up skies in countries around the world.
An afternoon at the Calgary Stampede Rodeo - a lot more than a visual experience. It's the sights, sounds and smells (see Dianne Finstad's Stampede blog on food) that make the whole experience unforgettable.
Barb Poulsen is a web/print designer, freelance writer and barrel racer. Raised in Saskatchewan, she's lived over half her life in rural Alberta. A teacher for many years, she's also enjoyed participation in the western lifestyle - mainly through ranching, rodeo and of course, her horses. Barb lives south of Calgary on a small ranch in the Porcupine Hills with her writer/rodeo announcer husband, Dave.
