*: (14) CALGARY STAMPEDE

Well, Well, Well.... Stampede has been and gone and it all now seems like a blur!!! I get to Calgary and go to the Stampede and find by boss eventually. I get there and start work that day. Little did i realise that i would be working 4pm to 4am and sometimes longer. I was actually working at the Scheduling desk with the security department. It was my job to work the night shift and schedule in hours for people to work and make sure there was enough staff to secure the park. I worked closely with my Supervisor Tom and together we made night shift happen. I never knew i was capable of working those kind of hours but obviously i can. So with the Stampede being short staffed i worked 12 hours a day along with just about everyone else. My god i feel like i need to sleep for a week!

With the hours that i worked i didn't get to see very much. I thought that i would be walking around the park and seeing lots but no - i was stuck in the security office. But when i did get out i went to see some things. I did get to see 2 days of the rodeo. I went to the last 2 days so i got to see the best of the best. I got some ripper shots. I quickly went to an hour of the Grand Stand Show and the Chuck Wagon Races and quickly ran around the park and took some photo's before i started work one day. It's very much like the Melbourne show but with a Rodeo. I met a Kiwi called Sam and she took me around quickly one day and introduced me to a couple of Cowboys. Lucky for Sam or i wouldn't have met any.

There were free berakfasts down the street from the back of Chuckwagons but due to my hours i missed out on that. Though it was just pancakes, sausagses and bacon. I can make that any day.

My poor Boss Paul Burrows got some ear bashings from me because i was sitting inside feeling like i was missing out on all the fun. But i am so glad for the experience that i had and proud that i proved i could work the overnight shift and at the same time got to meet some really nice people. Especially Park Patrol. They were the guys that went out to break up the fights, deal with the trouble and keep us safe throughout the Stampede. They put up with so much crap and have to wear heavy gear in the heat. Thanks guys!!!! You were all so great to work with.