Introduced by club secretary , Doug Fleming. Doug is a long time Stampede volunteer and the is proud grandfather of the MH Stampede Queen!
Lori Siedlieki serves on the MH Stampede board as the President. She is a pharmacy tech at AHS. Lori is a former chair of Stampede Queen committee. As a chaperone for the queen contestants, she is in effect the “Queen Mother”. Ron Edwards is a long time businessman and involved with the MH Stampede as the GM for the last 4 years.
The Stampede has 18 PFT employees and 33 committees plus event and seasonal activity staff. The annual stampede is about 2% of activities. For example, this past weekend included a graduation, wedding, farmer markets and several other smaller events. This week about 400 people and 600 horses will arrive with the chuckwagon races. The RCMP musical ride comes in August – groups of ten or more get ticket discount of $3/ticket. Then Cars and Guitars. Then Indian Relay racing comes after that along with indigenous trade show, dancing and cultural events. Last is Hearts to Horse – a unique equine entertainment event. So the Stampede is much more than a summer fair and rodeo.
The Stampede brings about $20 million into the community annually.
The issue facing the Stampede is the need to replace a grandstand which has reached end of life and needs major improvements or replacement.
Q&A followed. There are 2 booths open to charities and non-profits for fundraising. The stampede takes 30% of revenue. The stampede itself can not give a tax receipt for donations. The Friends of the Fair can take donations and offer a receipt but money donated must go to the Pioneer Village OR the grandstand replacement.
Medicine Hat, AB T1B 3T8
Canada