2020 Experience Medicine Hat Guide

Turn ‘er Loose The 1917 Medicine Hat Exhibition and Stampede The phrase, “Turn ‘er Loose” for those unfamiliar with a rodeo is a colloqui- al expression often used by a cowboy or bronc rider immediately before the bucking chute is opened or in earlier times when the horse, having being held down by other cowboys, is mounted by the cowboy and is given as a signal to “let” the horse go, in order for it to be ridden. In early 1916, the Department of National Defense discontinued themilitary training of “mounted” rifle regiments, as horses no longer served a useful purpose on the battlefield. The Exhibition Grounds in Medicine Hat, which previously had been used for this type of training was abandoned, leaving behind a number If you are interested in the GeorgeWillcocks history book on Exhibitions and Stampedes of Medicine Hat, please email, mhstampede@mhstampede.com

of buildings including horse barns and horse stalls, which had the capacity of accommodating over 500 horses. With the facility being available, the idea of re-establishing the annual Exhibition in 1917 was discussed openly and it became the “talk” of the Town withmany prominent businessman and ranchers promoting the idea. One of themost unlikely propo- nents and one of the first tomention the holding of a “Stampede” in connection with the Agricultural Fair was the par- ish priest at St Patrick’s Church, Father O’Mara. In an uncharacteristic letter to the editor of the Medicine Hat News, he argued in an emphatic and quite convinc- ing fashion, for the need for a Stampede in order to bring people together and to celebrate. He penned the following:

If we are going to aimat having as successful show as possible next year, why not buck up and have a Stampede as one of the features and drawing cards for the 1917 show. Why should Medicine Hat not have the very best Stampede in theWest. Bear inmind that Medicine Hat invented the “Stampede” as far as theWest is concerned. Pity while we were smart enough to invent the Stampede we were too slow in taking out a patent for the invention. (Willcocks, p.10)

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