Sidesaddle races pay homage to heritage
Stampede event features eight women racing on unique saddles in period attire
Horses’ hoofs will be thundering around the racetrack as a group of women compete in the first sidesaddle races at the Calgary Stampede.
The races, which will take place after the chuckwagon races on July 7 and 8, are as fast-paced as other horse races but the women ride with both legs on one side of their horse. This adds an element of risk and tests the competitors’ balance and strength.
Lee McLean has been riding sidesaddle for almost 50 years, since she was eight years old. She will be competing in the inaugural event against seven other women.
“I know they wanted something different, fast-paced, easy for the crowd to understand because you know which horse comes across the line first; you don’t need a bunch of technical stuff, and they wanted to celebrate Western history and women,” said McLean.
Although sidesaddle has a history of being viewed negatively, as an old form of gender inequality, McLean said it’s just the opposite.
“Sidesaddle was the first part of women’s freedom because before sidesaddles were invented, which was in about the 1300s — so that’s 600 years of riding for women — before that, women couldn’t go out by themselves unless they walked ... This was the first time that women could be like we are now, just hopping in a car and going wherever we want,” said McLean.
“We love the aspect of honouring these people that came before us that were courageous and daring.”
This year’s competitors are between the ages of 20 and 70, making it an incredibly diverse group.
McLean has passed on her skills and knowledge of sidesaddle to many of the other women who will be competing alongside her.
“One of the biggest risks, as we’ve got more weight on one side of the horse than the other, is to keep the horse from getting sore,” said McLean.
“And the way to do this is to make sure our balance is perfect, our saddles fit perfectly and that there’s nobody leaning to one side.”
The competitors will be wearing clothes appropriate to the age and origin of the saddle they ’ll have on their horse. Just like regular saddles, there are English and western sidesaddles. The oldest sidesaddle at the Stampede is a western-style one made in Colorado in 1885, which McLean’s daughter will be riding.
Kynan Vine, manager for rodeo and chuckwagons at the Calgary Stampede, is excited for sidesaddle to make its debut, incorporating greater community involvement and putting more focus on women.
“The sidesaddle has been around for hundreds of years so it’s a great way to showcase our western heritage at the same time we support our community and showcase local competitors,” said Vine.
The sidesaddle group has competed against each other at other rodeos and events around the southern Prairies, so they are not new to the track. They will also be featured early in the Stampede Parade, which starts downtown at 9 a.m. on Friday.