The Strathmore & District Agricultural Society was founded in 1973, beginning a new chapter in the community’s agricultural and western heritage. Over the years, the Society and the Strathmore Stampede have continued to grow, with professional rodeo arriving in 1985 and helping shape the event into what it is today. This history is made up of the people, milestones, traditions, and memorable moments that have defined the Stampede along the way.

​

Over the years, the rodeo has evolved through several names and eras. After moving to the Strathmore & District Agricultural Society Grounds in 1976, the event became known as Whoop-Up Days before being renamed the Strathmore Heritage Days Rodeo in 1994. As the event continued to grow in size, reputation, and scope, it eventually became the Strathmore Stampede — the name now recognized across Alberta and beyond.

​

​Chuckwagon racing became part of the Strathmore Stampede story in 1988, when the World Professional Chuckwagon Association was added to the annual event. The arrival of the wagons brought a new kind of excitement to the grounds, with teams of horses, drivers, and wagons racing around Strathmore’s 5/8-mile track. Since then, WPCA racing has become one of the signature attractions of Stampede weekend and an important part of the event’s western identity.

 

Running with the Bulls made its Strathmore Stampede debut in 2003, bringing a new level of excitement and spectacle to the August long weekend. Inspired by the famous Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain, Strathmore developed its own uniquely Canadian version of the event. What was initially envisioned as a one-time attraction quickly became a crowd favourite and one of the Stampede’s signature events. Today, runners step into the arena to face multiple rounds of bulls in front of packed grandstands, continuing a tradition that has become synonymous with the Strathmore Stampede.