CALGARY — The action behind the bucking chutes can be as hectic as the rodeo infield at the Calgary Stampede. The rodeo's medical clinic under the grandstand is a revolving door that starts whirling before the rodeo performance and is still spinning afterward. Not only are medical practitioners there to treat riders hitting the dirt, their other mission is managing and treating the chronic injuries, aches and pains athletes bring with them to the Stampede.
"The Calgary Stampede is the only designated sport medicine and locker facility for rodeo athletes that was designed and then created," said chiropractor and Canadian Pro Rodeo Sports Medicine team president Blaine Bugg. "The Americans and Brazilians are astonished they have access to a high-level functioning sport medicine team that does manual treatment, that they can work on bruises, bumps, strains and sprains and have success. "We end up being pretty inundated during the Calgary Stampede.
" The 10-day rodeo starting Friday offers $1.85 million in prize money to 270 contestants in bull riding, bareback, saddle bronc, steer wrestling, tie-down roping and barrel racing. The field includes four-time world saddle bronc champion Zeke Thurston of Big Valley, Alta.
, and 2023 Calgary Stampede bull riding champion Jared Parsonage of Maple Creek, Alta. The roughly 25 to 30 people on the medical staff are divided into three pods assigned to each of the three pools of rodeo contestants. Each pod has a chiropractor, massage and athl.
