Calgary cowboy’s trusty hat goes on eBay auction
Gus-style Stetson reportedly belonged to Stampede rodeo performer Clem Gardner
Legendary Calgary cowboy Clem Gardner, who competed in the first Calgary Stampede rodeo in 1912, was well known for never letting age slow him down.
And Gardner’s tough-as-nails reputation may also be shared by a slightly weathered and warped hat, purported to belong to the local icon, which has been posted for sale on the online auction site eBay.
The rare Gus-style cowboy hat, from the famed Hamley Saddlery in Pendleton, Ore., was recently posted to eBay by an American collector. The listing says it belonged to Gardner, a legend of the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth, and is believed to have been crafted between 1900 and 1915.
It’s listed for sale at Cdn. $2,139.18.
“Family provenance identifies this hat as belonging to legendary Canadian cowboy Clem Gardner,” reads the listing.
“I have had this hat in my collection for many years and never before offered it for sale.”
The unidentified collector didn’t respond to messages from Postmedia, but the listing includes a sale note from the hat’s former owners, the family of late Calgarian Edward Pargee, the longtime owner of what was formerly Kennedy’s Garage in the Beltline, which was the longtime home to Heritage Posters.
The listing says despite being more than 100 years old, the hat remains in excellent condition — the nutria felt and leather still supple, with its original leather sweat band impressed in gold reading “Hamley & Co/Circle H/ Pendleton Oregon.”
Gardner’s ranching family settled in the Bragg Creek area in 1886 and he became a natural at riding and roping, competing in several events in the inaugural Calgary Stampede rodeo where he was named All Around Canadian Cowboy.
Cassandra Cummings, historical specialist with the Calgary Stampede, said Gardner is an important figure in the city’s western lore.
“Clem is obviously a very important figure to Calgary Stampede history — he was a big part of the 1912 Calgary Stampede,” said Cummings, noting Gardner has been immortalized in bronze at Stampede Park as the lead horseman in the massive By the Banks of the Bow statue outside the old Victoria Pavilion.
“He competed in so many events and is part of the fabric.”
Not just content with rodeo, Gardner also competed in the Stampede’s first chuckwagon race in 1923, where he placed second overall on July 9, allowing him to pocket winnings of $12.50. In 1931, he finally won the Rangeland Derby.
At the Stampede’s 40th anniversary in 1952, Gardner was awarded an illuminated scroll honouring his contribution to the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth, naming him the “1912 contestant who has in the years from 1912 to 1952 contributed most to the growth and success of the Stampede.”
He retired but still continued ranching at his Primez Creek ranch until his death in 1963 at age 77.
While noting the authenticity of the hat can’t be verified from the eBay listing alone, Cummings said the hat could potentially be a major piece of Stampede and western history. “This is something I will be seriously investigating,” she said.
The listing is slated to close Aug. 30.
Clem is obviously a very important figure to Calgary Stampede history — he was a big part of the 1912 (event).