Once, Twice: Calgary Stampede Canvas Auction Returns After Pandemic Delay

CALGARY – The return of the Calgary Stampede canvas auction Tuesday night reflected much of the economic uncertainty stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The event is generally considered a landmark for Alberta’s oil and gas industry, as many sponsors who pay to have their company names on carts competing in the festival rodeo are energy industry players.

Of the 27 rigs participating this year, the highest was sold for $185,000 while the lowest was $35,000.

At the last tarp auction of 2019, 36 wagons fetched nearly $3.3 million.

This year, the total was $2.1 million.

“It’s very difficult, say, to compare an auction from 2019 or earlier to one from 2022,” said Steve McDonough, president and president of Stampede.

“They are apples and oranges. We have fewer cars, things have changed and we are coming out of a pandemic, hopefully. I warn that we are not here to break any records.”

There was a lot of anticipation about this year’s auction. At the start of the pandemic in 2020, Stampede was canceled for the first time in 100 years. It came back last year, but without the wagon races.

“It was disappointing not to be here,” driver Kurt Bensmiller said of the stripped-down 2021 Stampede. His team attracted the highest canvas offer this year.

“I’m pretty excited. He wasn’t sure what to expect after two years off. I’m a bit speechless. That’s the highest I’ve ever sold. So after two years off, we want to be here in Calgary.”

Bensmiller said chuckwagon racing is an expensive sport and the money goes to offset the costs of racing.

“I’m not sure what the average was, but I want to say that no one is happy. Everybody always wants more money. It doesn’t matter who you are: the best seller or the last seller. But I hope everyone walks with a little encouragement.”

Kent Stormoen, owner of Versatile Energy Services Ltd., bought the tarp for the Bensmiller team for the fourth time.

“The last two years have been very, very difficult in the oil industry,” Stormoen said.

He added that there has been little change, as oil prices have soared in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

“If we can support the Calgary Stampede and the Chucks, we’re dedicated to that,” he said.

Stormoen said he was a bit surprised by the disparity between the highest offers for Bensmiller and Vern Nolin, who received $180,000, and the lowest.

“Kurt and Vern are probably the two best drivers here. And there are some really good drivers who were sold after them and I think they deserved a little bit more recognition than them.

Nolin said he’s hopeful things will return to normal on the cart track and is glad to be back. But he said he worries it might not be that easy for some of the teams that received low offers.

“It’s nice. I know $180,000 sounds like a lot of money. But we carry a lot of costs with us, and the cost of everything has gone up and food is very high this year,” he said.

“You have to look down on some of the other offerings and there isn’t much left there. So I guess you could say that Kurt and I got lucky and we’ll put it to good use.”

The Stampede takes place from July 8 to 17.

This report from The Canadian Press was first published on April 12, 2022.

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