Following, is a list of rule and format changes for the Rangeland Derby and Stampede Rodeo which will be in effect for the 2011 Calgary Stampede.

Rangeland Derby

Outrider numbers:

• Align with both professional chuckwagon associations and reduce the number of outriders per heat from four to two.

Fitness to compete:

• All horses will be given a thorough inspection by a team of veterinarians upon arrival at Stampede Park and prior to competition.
• Drivers must submit an inventory of horses for competition and the inventory of horses will be subject to ongoing veterinarian inspections.
• Drivers will be asked to submit a list of horses competing daily by 4 p.m. for a thorough pre-race inspection. If a horse is found not fit to compete, it will be “scratched” for that evening.
• Post-race inspections of all horses as they leave the track.

Formula for rest days for wagon and outrider horses:

• Mandatory rest days for all horses – at least one rest day in four and a horse cannot run more that three consecutive days.

Enhanced track maintenance:

• Two additional harrowings will be completed with the option of adding water to the track surface.
• Harrowing would take place after heats 2, 4, 6 and 8.
• Competitors will be rotated in the heats so as to allow all drivers to compete on a freshly groomed surface in heats 1 – 8. Heat 9 will always run on a freshly groomed surface.

Calgary Stampede Rodeo

Obvious injury:

• At a judges discretion, if a calf (tie-down roping) or a steer (steer wrestling) exhibits an obvious injury during competition, the contestant will be flagged “out” and receive either a re-run or, in the judges discretion, if the injury was caused by the contestant, a “no-time”.

New guideline for Jerk-down rule:

• If a calf is jerked off all four feet and its body touches the ground prior to the roper reaching the calf, the roper will be disqualified from that go-round.

Legal catch:

• In tie-down roping, any catch, other than a clean head catch, will result in the roper being disqualified from that go-round.

All other Tie-Down Roping rules will be enforced as per the 2011 CPRA rulebook.

For more information, please contact:
Doug Fraser
Media Relations Manager
T 403.261.0242
C 403.585.3376
F 403.261.0190
E dfraser@calgarystampede.com