Ag Media in Draft Horse Town

I told you all about the great opportunity of being the Calgary Stampede Ag Media Intern here and here.

I thought I would feature one of my highlights of the week on the blog today. One of our jobs as the Ag Media Committee was to set up interviews and activities for media sources to engage in. Rolfe at Shaw TV was one of our regulars, covering Stampede Ag for all 10 days from the heavy horses to the tractors.

Rolfe the Promo guy of Shaw TV

I got to tag along on Shaw TV's exploration of Draft Horse Town, one of my personal favorite exhibits at the Calgary Stampede. We did crowd control (making sure people didn't walk into the shot while filming) and suggested sites to visit and people to interview. We also ended up in the clip...in a wagon...being pulled by a television personality. I love Ag Media.

Rolfe got to hang out with Dave, the "Prince" of Draft Horse Town and a great guy to have at Stampede!

I couldn't embed the video, but I CAN tell you that you need to visit this link and click on the "Draft Horse Town" video (second row) to see all the hilarity live.You can see Nicole, another one of the committee members, and I being pulled in the wagon about 1:00 into the video. It was as awkward and hilarious as it looks.

Me(left), Nicole, and Rolfe the puller

I could handle having this as my day job. Granted, only if I'm the one being toted in the bucket and not pulling it. Hope you enjoyed the video, and be sure to check out all the rest of the Shaw TV Stampede Videos!

Calgary Stampede and Summer Synergy Recap

Friends, I'm not even sure where to start on this one.

I have a lot of exciting things to tell you. They all worked together to create the tired, sunburnt, brain-dead, star-struck mess that is currently writing this to you. Any thoughts are not my own but the direct influence of 11 days at the Calgary Stampede and a cattle show.

Miss Blogs-a-lot (name courtesy of my family) has achieved victory! As some of you may know, this blog was created as part of the Summer Synergy Youth Livestock Marketing Compeition. There were approximately 55 other blogs created, which you can still see here. And guess what?! We won!

Cowhide bag courtesy of Saddle Barn in Roswell, New Mexico. I want 7. One will do just fine.

I say "we" because without your loyal following, viewing, and commenting, I probably would have given up on this sharing-my-life-with-the-internet deal. But you people rocked me to almost 90 followers and 7000 views in the last two months, and for that, you win too. You can't have my prize, though. It's awesome.

Summer Synergy didn't quit with the awesomeness there. I scored a hefty scholarship which will go right into my booze school fund.

Getting our scholarships on the stage during the Chuckwagon Races

My heifers, the pretty gals you met here, had a blast being pampered at the show and finished 5th and 3rd in their classes. Impact took me for a little run around the ring at the end of her class, no doubt to prove some sort of point, but I made sure she didn't win that little battle. Then I fed her copious amounts of grain, hay, water, and made sure she stayed cool under the fan. Spoiled brat.

I actually got to see the rodeo a few times this year, and cheered on my future husband, Tuf Cooper. The highlight of the week may have been shooting a roping demo with Tuf and CBC Kids.

Tuf showing the CBC Kids crew how to rope

My role as Ag Media Intern also included crowd control for camera crews, gathering stories for news outlets, taking pictures to Tweet, and maintaining the Calgary Stampede Agriculture Facebook Page. Working with Ag Media was an outstanding opportunity. The ladies were incredibly talented and willing to steer me in the right direction, and the job itself was fun and interesting. The volunteer pass I was given also served as VIP privileges to the country bar Ranchman's...not that I took full advantage or anything.

Sam & I were excited about Ranchman's showing some Alberta Beef love.
We love you too, Ranchman's.

I had the opportunity to help share agriculture's story with news sources that reach hundreds of thousands of people. I had conversations with the public, both in person and online, about where their food comes from. The Calgary Stampede is a fantastic place for people to learn about animal agriculture and the great things we're doing. I can't wait to make my career out of this.

So I'm a few dollars richer, lacking a lot of sleep, and incredibly excited for what a future in Agriculture Communications involves. I'd call that a success, people!

Huge thank you to the Calgary Stampede Ag Media Committee and Summer Synergy Committee for all of your hard work and dedication to making the last week a success! 

Calgary Stampede Agriculture, Day One

It's day one of the Calgary Stampede. Will and Kate made their appearance in front of 350,000 starstruck spectators at the annual Stampede Parade. The crowds have started pouring through the gates, onto the midway, and through the barns. Agrium Ag-tivity in the City is hosting fabulous exhibits to educate the masses about where their eggs, milk, cereals, and meat come from. The miniature donkeys, llamas, sheep, goats, and ducks are settling in at the Country Critters display. The blacksmiths are working away in the Big Top and the heavy horses are being diligently prepared by their owners.

I'm also settling in with the Stampede Agriculture Media Committee as a social media intern. These ladies (and one gentlemen) have the job of communicating Stampede Ag stories with media outlets and the public. It's a great opportunity for me to network with people in the field I'm hoping to get into!

I look forward to this week all year. It's great to be on the media end of things and making sure people are hearing about the great exhibits Stampede Agriculture has to offer.

Blacksmith Competition

If you're on the park today, here's what you can get up to in Stampede Agriculture.

Agrium Ag-tivity in the City

8:00am-9:00pm

Agrium Barn Tours

11:00am-8:00pm

World Championship Blacksmith's Competition

10:00am-9:00pm in the Big Top

Team Penning

5:30pm in the Scotiabank Saddledome

Miniature Donkey Showcase

3:30-4:00pm in the Northern Lights Arena

Horse Haven

8:00am-9:00pm in the North Agriculture Barn

Heavy Horse Showcase

12:00pm and 7:00pm in the Scotiabank Saddledome

The Cattle Trail

8:00am-9:00pm in the Agriculture Barn

See the Stampede Agriculture page for more events.

Tweet us at @stampedeag!

Calgary Stampede: The Internship and What You Have to See

The Calgary Stampede is only two days from kickoff.


I've been to the Calgary Stampede religiously since I stomped on my first pair of red cowboy boots. I've done the rides, seen the rodeo and chuckwagons, and spent far too much in the RoundUp Center tradefair. I've shown my cattle with some of the best and even sang in the Karaoke Competition, and no, I don't want to talk about.

This year is going to be a little different.

I'll be there from July 7th to 12th as an intern with the Agriculture Media Committee. I am beyond excited for this opportunity. It's my first real chance to get some hands-on experience doing what I actually want to end up doing. I'll be telling some great stories from around Stampede Park using social media, and promoting the heart of the Calgary Stampede, agriculture.

I've heard nothing but great things about the committee and the experience from past interns. Keep checking the blog for updates from Stampede!

If you're stopping by Stampede, or practically living there like I am, there's one thing you're going to have to check out.

The Cattle Trail. It's exactly what Stampede needs: interactive education about beef, agriculture, and the ranching lifestyle directed right at consumers.

Read the article explaining it all here.

Image from here

The Cattle Trail will allow Stampede visitors to walk through the "pasture to plate" of beef production, with industry experts along the way to answer any questions. Hopefully I'll be able to help out a little in my off-time. It's open daily from July 7 to 18 on the south side of the Agriculture Barn. If you don't know where that is, just follow the smell.

I'll be sure to update you with other must-see events during the week.

And don't forget..

YEEHAW!