Women have been the backbone of the Calgary Stampede from the very beginning when accomplished rider and roper Florence LaDue helped her husband Guy Weadick start the first Calgary Stampede and Exhibition in 1912.

Often eclipsed by reinforced masculine dominated motifs, advertising, and stereotypes of western culture, women’s participation and contributions to the worlds “Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth”, have been frequently neglected and erased from the dominant narrative around the annual event.

Despite these hurdles, women have continued to participate and contribute heavily to the rodeo, the handicrafts, pageants, to uphold the spirit of Western Hospitality.

Here is a selection of photos that document and tell the stories of women who have shaped the history of the Calgary Stampede.