I HAVE just taken part in the Calgary Stampede – and it was amazing. I must admit I had my reservations when the director of the show I had been asked to take part in told me what they wanted me to do.

I was one of the performers in the stage show that was attended by more than 30,000 people every night. It was incredibly professional, and it turned out I was one of the highlights, even though I had not done anything like this before.

Photo: Chris Bolin/ Calgary Stampede

The audience were treated to some great music and dancing and then a film of me making one of my jumps at the 1988 Calgary Olympics was shown on a big movie screen. Just as it got to the point where I came off the end of the jump, I appeared from behind a curtain wearing my jumping skis and ski gear in a harness attached to a wire.

I flew out over the audience and waved to the people below while fireworks came out the back of my skis (see photo). I had to do this every night for 10 days.

The Stampede, which started back in the 1880s, attracts more than one million people every year. It isn’t just about rodeos etc, it is also a big farming exhibition and there’s all sorts of agricultural machinery on display. And so many people wear cowboy hats that everybody looks like they are just about to take part in a Western movie.

I did get a chance to do some socialising between the shows but there are so many attractions and events that I didn’t have time to see them all. The choice of food stalls was also amazing, including one that was serving three-foot long hot dogs.

I was also amazed by the number of volunteers who come out to help at the stampede as many of them were the same volunteers who worked at the Calgary Olympics 30 years ago.

Since my appearance at the 1988 Winter Olympics I have been back to Calgary quite a few times in the winter to do promotional work or to go on to ski areas in Alberta and British Columbia, but I have never been there in the summer. It was really beautiful, and I would definitely recommend Calgary as a place to visit.

I hear Calgary is thinking of going for another Winter Olympic bid in 2026. Maybe it will be time for me to get out my jumping skis again!

Now I am back in the UK my thoughts are turning to this season’s skiing. I have had a few enquiries to visit resorts to do some corporate work and speaking engagements and I am working for a travel company, skiing with some of their customers in January, but I don’t know where that will be yet.

I am really hoping I can get away on a ski holiday with my two daughters. My youngest has never skied on real snow as she has only ever had lessons at Gloucester Ski Slope or on the artificial snow at Tamworth. My eldest daughter went on her first school ski trip last season, so I think they are both ready to hit the slopes with me now. I can’t wait.

* Eddie ‘The Eagle’ Edwards writes for the Skier & Snowboarder every month. His column is currently supported by skiweekends.com who are also making a donation to the charity Ski 4 Cancer – www.ski4cancer.org

You can read Eddie’s column in the magazine and on the Skier & Snowboarder website at: www.skierandsnowboarder.com

Photo: Chris Bolin/ Calgary Stampede

Categories: Skiing with Eddie