Youth Programs Keep Agriculture at the Heart of the Stampede

Agriculture has been at the heart of the Calgary Stampede since 1886, when the first Calgary Exhibition was held. Today, the Stampede remains a registered agricultural society in Alberta, with youth programs designed to uphold the connection between our community, agriculture and the Stampede’s past, present and future.

OH Ranch Branded Beef Youth Ambassador Program

The Stampede’s OH Ranch Branded Beef Youth Ambassador Program focuses on youth aged 14 to 18 and offers a one-of-a-kind immersive livestock production experience. The program selects 12 participants who each raise a steer born at the Stampede’s historic OH Ranch. With guidance from agricultural professionals, participants learn animal care, cattle management and agricultural business skills.

After raising their steers for 10 months, the 2026 class of ambassadors showcase their hard work in the Nutrien Western Event Centre during the 2026 Calgary Stampede. They compete in the Junior Steer Classic Show on July 10, followed by the sale of OH Ranch steers at the International Livestock Auctioneer Championship on July 11. Ambassadors keep 80 per cent of sale proceeds, while the Stampede reinvests the remaining 20 per cent back into the program.

ROBOT RODEO

Technology and agriculture come together at the Robot Rodeo, held July 6 to 8 in the BMO Centre at Stampede Park. The event brings together international youth teams to compete in agriculture-themed robotics challenges. Teams arrive without robots and are issued identical V5 Competition Super Kits on site. After a challenge is revealed, competitors have three days to design and build a robot capable of completing the task using only the provided tools and equipment.

The competition offers $10,000 in prize money and demonstrates how science and engineering are increasingly shaping modern food production. For spectators, Robot Rodeo provides an entertaining way to understand how innovation is influencing agriculture.

Youth Agriculture Speaking Championships Presented By BURNCO

Public speaking and education are the focus of the Youth Agriculture Speaking Championships, presented by BURNCO, which the Calgary Stampede hosts in partnership with Olds College and the Alberta Association of Agriculture Societies. Open to youth from ages 11 to 24, the competition welcomes participants without an agriculture background, creating an accessible, non-traditional entry point to learn about and engage with agriculture.

Participants deliver five- to seven-minute presentations on agriculture-related topics, building confidence and communication skills while gaining insight into how food is sustainably produced.

Preliminary rounds take place June 27 and July 10, with the final round on July 11 in the BMO Centre. Prizes total more than $15,000, including travel credits to a national competition later in 2026.

Youth Agri-food Culinary Challenge

Hosted at SAIT’s School of Hospitality & Tourism campus in partnership with the Calgary Stampede, this two-day competition introduces students in grades 10 to 12 to culinary skills and agri-food concepts through individual and team challenges. The Youth Agri-Food Culinary Challenge builds essential culinary skills and explores agri-food concepts while fostering mentorship and connections to Alberta’s food system.

The 2026 challenge took place June 13-14, and winners received cash and prizes valued at $20,000, plus an invitation to compete live at Taste of Stampede presented by Safeway on July 8, 2026.

Together, these programs reflect the Stampede’s ongoing link to agriculture, offering urban audiences opportunities to learn more about food production while watching youth compete, innovate and develop new skills.