1,260,000 People Attend 2014 Calgary Stampede
The 2014 Calgary Stampede saw its second highest turnout as 1,260,000 people from across Canada and around the world attended this annual rodeo held in Alberta’s largest city. Also referred to as the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth, this year’s Calgary Stampede occurred July 4-13, 2014, and started with a colorful parade on July 4th through the streets of Calgary, led by the famous Canadian actor, William Shatner (best known for playing Captain James T. Kirk in the Star Trek series and movies).
During the 10-day Calgary Stampede, visitors watched various rodeo events, including chuckwagon racing, bareback riding, steer wrestling, bull riding, tie down roping, and ladies barrel racing. Among the winners of these exciting “wild west” competitions was Scott Schiffner from Alberta, who won the bull riding event – and a check for $100,000! Guests were also able to enjoy good food, thrill rides, and several concerts by such top performers as Shania Twain, Paul Brandt, Keith Urban and Reba McEntire. Other singers and groups performed on stage for the crowds, including the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Matthew Good, Chad Brownlee, George Fox, Tom Hicks, Billy Talent, Said the Whale, Marianas Trench, Classified, Aaron Pritchett, Brett Kissel, Charlie Major and Bobby Wills. Layten Kramer won the Grand Prize during the Calgary Stampede Talent Search, which had previously been won by none other than Canadian country music superstar Paul Brandt. Additionally, visitors to the 2014 Calgary Stampede were entertained by Chinese acrobats, extreme daredevils and a nightly pyrotechnics extravaganza, plus children of all ages were able to see different types of animals up close.
Calgary is not only famous for hosting the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth each year, but is also known as one of the top ten “Most Livable Cities” in the world and boasts one of the lowest unemployment rates of any Canadian city. Furthermore, with its high standard of living and close proximity to the beautiful Canadian Rockies, Calgary is a top destination for people who immigrate to Canada. The Canadian province of Alberta has consistently led the rest of the country in creating new jobs in Canada, due in large part to its wealth of natural resources and related employment opportunities. Many skilled foreign workers who immigrate to Canada move to Alberta to work in the booming oil and gas industry, while others find employment in construction, manufacturing, services or other sectors of the economy. Thus, if you want to immigrate to Canada and are looking for excellent Canadian employment options, you may want to join the “stampede” of thousands of skilled foreign workers who decide to move to Alberta!
