Stampede Corral
Encyclopedia
The Stampede Corral is an ice hockey
, rodeo
, and Davis Cup
tennis
arena
venue in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
. The arena was completed in 1950 at a cost of C$
1.25 million to replace Victoria Arena
as the home of the Calgary Stampeders
Hockey Club. Seating 6,475, plus standing room, it is used in the annual Calgary Stampede
. The Corral was built and is still owned by the Calgary Stampede non-profit organization, which leases the underlying land at $1/year from the city of Calgary.
At the time of construction, it was the largest arena in Canada west of Toronto
. It was officially opened on December 15, 1950. The first hockey game was held at the Corral on December 26, as the Stampeders defeated the Edmonton Flyers
5–0 in a Western Canada Senior Hockey League
game before a standing-room-only crowd of 8,729.
The Corral has hosted several major events, including the 1972 World Figure Skating Championships
, and Figure Skating
and ice hockey
at the 1988 Winter Olympics
. The Corral is also a frequent host for Canada's
Davis Cup
tennis
team. Canada is 5–0 all time in the Corral, including a thrilling upset of Brazil
, and former #1 player Gustavo Kuerten
in 2003. Most recently, Canada defeated Mexico
4–1 in the 2008 tournament
.
For years, the Corral played host to special wrestling supershows promoted by Stu Hart
's Stampede Wrestling
, particularly during the Calgary Stampede. Stampede Wrestling is known for having featured some of the biggest names in pro wrestling history prior to its purchase by World Wrestling Federation in 1984. Some of said stars included Bret Hart
, Archie Gouldie, Dan Kroffat and Jake Roberts
.
The Corral houses one of the most extensive private sports photo collections in Canada being on public display, however, many of the photos (of Western Canadian hockey and rodeo stars primarily, dating back many decades) are in a state of considerable disrepair.
The Corral is still used year round; notable events include the Enmax Ice Show which takes place daily during the Calgary Exhibition and Stampede
.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
, rodeo
Rodeo
Rodeo is a competitive sport which arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain, Mexico, and later the United States, Canada, South America and Australia. It was based on the skills required of the working vaqueros and later, cowboys, in what today is the western United States,...
, and Davis Cup
Davis Cup
The Davis Cup is the premier international team event in men's tennis. It is run by the International Tennis Federation and is contested between teams of players from competing countries in a knock-out format. The competition began in 1900 as a challenge between Britain and the United States. By...
tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
arena
Arena
An arena is an enclosed area, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theater, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators. The key feature of an arena is that the event space is the...
venue in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The arena was completed in 1950 at a cost of C$
Canadian dollar
The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
1.25 million to replace Victoria Arena
Victoria Arena (Calgary)
The Victoria Arena was the main ice hockey arena in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and one of the first. It was the home arena of the Calgary Tigers, a professional ice hockey team which played in the Western Canada Hockey League which used it from 1920 until 1934. Later the Calgary Stampeders ice...
as the home of the Calgary Stampeders
Calgary Stampeders (hockey)
The Calgary Stampeders are a defunct ice hockey team that was based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The team existed from 1938 until 1972, playing in various senior and minor professional leagues during that time...
Hockey Club. Seating 6,475, plus standing room, it is used in the annual Calgary Stampede
Calgary Stampede
The Calgary Stampede is an annual rodeo, exhibition and festival held every July in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The ten-day event, which bills itself as "The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth", attracts over one million visitors per year and features one of the world's largest rodeos, a parade, midway,...
. The Corral was built and is still owned by the Calgary Stampede non-profit organization, which leases the underlying land at $1/year from the city of Calgary.
At the time of construction, it was the largest arena in Canada west of Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
. It was officially opened on December 15, 1950. The first hockey game was held at the Corral on December 26, as the Stampeders defeated the Edmonton Flyers
Edmonton Flyers
The Edmonton Flyers are a defunct ice hockey team that was based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The team existed from 1940 until 1963, playing in various senior and minor professional leagues during that time...
5–0 in a Western Canada Senior Hockey League
Western Canada Senior Hockey League
The Western Canada Senior Hockey League was an ice hockey league that played six seasons in Alberta and Saskatchewan, from 1945 to 1951. It was founded as a four team league featuring teams in Calgary, Edmonton, Regina and Saskatoon...
game before a standing-room-only crowd of 8,729.
The Corral has hosted several major events, including the 1972 World Figure Skating Championships
World Figure Skating Championships
The World Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which elite figure skaters compete for the title of World Champion...
, and Figure Skating
Figure skating
Figure skating is an Olympic sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform spins, jumps, footwork and other intricate and challenging moves on ice skates. Figure skaters compete at various levels from beginner up to the Olympic level , and at local, national, and international competitions...
and ice hockey
Ice hockey at the 1988 Winter Olympics
At the 1988 Winter Olympics one ice hockey event was held, men's ice hockey. Games were played at the Olympic Saddledome, the Stampede Corral, and Father David Bauer Olympic Arena in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.Source:* Gold - * Silver -...
at the 1988 Winter Olympics
1988 Winter Olympics
The 1988 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XV Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event celebrated in and around Calgary, Alberta, Canada from 13 to 28 February 1988. The host was selected in 1981 after having beat Falun, Sweden and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy...
. The Corral is also a frequent host for Canada's
Canada Davis Cup team
The Canada Davis Cup team represents Canada in Davis Cup tennis competition and is governed by Tennis Canada.Canada currently competes in the Americas Zone of Group I. The team's best result came in its first appearance in 1913 when it reached the World Group final, losing to the United States 0–3...
Davis Cup
Davis Cup
The Davis Cup is the premier international team event in men's tennis. It is run by the International Tennis Federation and is contested between teams of players from competing countries in a knock-out format. The competition began in 1900 as a challenge between Britain and the United States. By...
tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
team. Canada is 5–0 all time in the Corral, including a thrilling upset of Brazil
Brazil Davis Cup team
The Brazil Davis Cup team represents Brazil in Davis Cup tennis competition and are governed by the Brazilian Tennis Confederation.Brazil currently compete in the Americas Zone of Group I...
, and former #1 player Gustavo Kuerten
Gustavo Kuerten
Gustavo Kuerten is a retired former World No. 1 tennis player from Brazil. He won the French Open three times between 1997 and 2001, and was the Tennis Masters Cup champion in 2000...
in 2003. Most recently, Canada defeated Mexico
Mexico Davis Cup team
The Mexico Davis Cup team represents Mexico in Davis Cup tennis competition and are governed by the Federación Mexicana de Tenis.Mexico finished as runners-up in 1962. They currently compete in the Americas Zone Group II. They last competed in the World Group in 1997.-History:Mexico competed in...
4–1 in the 2008 tournament
2008 Davis Cup Americas Zone
The Americas Zone is one of three zones of regional Davis Cup competition in 2008.-Group I:-Group II:-Group III:*Venue: Country Club, Tegucigalpa, Honduras *Date: 16-20 JulyScores in italics carried over from groups...
.
For years, the Corral played host to special wrestling supershows promoted by Stu Hart
Stu Hart
Stewart Edward "Stu" Hart, CM was a Canadian amateur wrestler, professional wrestler, promoter and trainer. Hart founded Stampede Wrestling, a promotion based in Calgary, Alberta, and was the father of famous wrestlers Bret and Owen Hart...
's Stampede Wrestling
Stampede Wrestling
Stampede Wrestling is a Canadian professional wrestling promotion based in Calgary, Alberta and was for nearly 50 years one of the main promotions in western Canada and the Canadian Prairies...
, particularly during the Calgary Stampede. Stampede Wrestling is known for having featured some of the biggest names in pro wrestling history prior to its purchase by World Wrestling Federation in 1984. Some of said stars included Bret Hart
Bret Hart
Bret Hart is a Canadian on-screen personality, writer, actor and Semi-retired professional wrestler. Like others in the Hart wrestling family, Hart has an amateur wrestling background, including wrestling at Ernest Manning High School and Mount Royal College...
, Archie Gouldie, Dan Kroffat and Jake Roberts
Jake Roberts
Aurelian Jake Smith, Jr. is a second-generation American professional wrestler, the son of former wrestler Aurelian "Grizzly" Smith...
.
The Corral houses one of the most extensive private sports photo collections in Canada being on public display, however, many of the photos (of Western Canadian hockey and rodeo stars primarily, dating back many decades) are in a state of considerable disrepair.
The Corral is still used year round; notable events include the Enmax Ice Show which takes place daily during the Calgary Exhibition and Stampede
Calgary Stampede
The Calgary Stampede is an annual rodeo, exhibition and festival held every July in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The ten-day event, which bills itself as "The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth", attracts over one million visitors per year and features one of the world's largest rodeos, a parade, midway,...
.
Former tenants
Team | League | Years | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Calgary Stampeders Calgary Stampeders (hockey) The Calgary Stampeders are a defunct ice hockey team that was based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The team existed from 1938 until 1972, playing in various senior and minor professional leagues during that time... |
Various | 1950–72 | |
Calgary Centennials Calgary Centennials Calgary Buffaloes redirects here. For the former Alberta Junior Hockey League team of the same name, see Calgary Buffaloes The Calgary Centennials were a junior ice hockey team that played in the Western Canada Hockey League from 1966–1977... |
WCHL Western Hockey League The Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada... |
1966–77 | |
Calgary Cowboys Calgary Cowboys The Calgary Cowboys were an ice hockey team that played two seasons in the World Hockey Association from 1975–1977. The Cowboys played at the Stampede Corral in Calgary. The franchise was founded in 1972 as the Miami Screaming Eagles, though it never played a game in Miami... |
WHA World Hockey Association The World Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major competition for the National Hockey League since the collapse of the Western Hockey League in 1926... |
1975–77 | |
Calgary Wranglers Calgary Wranglers The Calgary Wranglers were a junior ice hockey team that played in the Western Hockey League from 1977 until 1987. The Wranglers played their home games in Calgary, Alberta, at the Stampede Corral.-Season-by-season Record:... |
WHL Western Hockey League The Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada... |
1977–87 | |
Calgary Flames Calgary Flames The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the... |
NHL National Hockey League The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States... |
1980–83 | |
Calgary Hitmen Calgary Hitmen The Calgary Hitmen are a major junior ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The Hitmen play in the Central Division of the Western Hockey League . They play their home games at the Scotiabank Saddledome. Bret "The Hitman" Hart, a local-born professional wrestler, was a founding owner... |
WHL Western Hockey League The Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada... |
1995–96 | Temporary home |
Calgary Drillers Calgary Drillers The Calgary Drillers were an American Basketball Association team in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The team participated in a portion of the 2004–2005 season and then suspended operations in February 2005. During their brief stay in Calgary, the Drillers played out of the Stampede Corral. Few people... |
ABA | 2004–05 | Folded after five home games |
Calgary United F.C. | CMISL Canadian Major Indoor Soccer League The Canadian Major Indoor Soccer League or CMISL is a professional indoor soccer league that began full league play in January 2008. The league's president is Mel Kowalchuk... |
2007 |