Firefighters VS Cowboys – A Charitable Event @Ranchmans #Stampede2012

During the Stampede, Ranchmans holds an annual firefighters vs cowboys charity event. The monies raised in this event go to The Calgary Firefighter Benevolent Fund and the CPRA Cowboy Benefit Fund.

I was invited to attend this year. This is a great cause so I headed down to see what they were up to.

Firefighters

Here’s the thing. The guys are being auctioned off and then they race each other up a pole outside. Fastest man wins. It’s suppose to be all in good fun. Now I’m no prude but I have to say I was highly disappointed in this one. Let me tell you why.

The event began 1 1/2 hours late. Yes, I understand that given the two types of people involved stuff happens. That wasn’t the bad part. During the “wait” time, the owners tended to babble on a lot about nothing. When we finally started Mike LaBelle couldn’t seem to let go of center stage. He kept interupting the guys calling the auction trying to get the cowboys and firefighters to remove articles of clothing. Sometimes he’d interupt to yack at some woman below. Please remember this was live on the patio outside and families were walking by. There was a lot of hootin and hollerin and displays of skin but not too much in the way of bids.

Mike Labelle (Red Shirt)

Gee, I can’t think why. Was it LaBells’s interference that disrupted momentum? Was it embarrasment on the part of the girls (and the guys). Fun is fun but guys in their underpants is just not sexy. Woman were walking away from their bids (or did they even actually bid?). There was a tremendous amount of chaos and I’m not sure anyone new who or who wasn’t bidding. It’s so unfortunate because if this had been run correctly, without egos and ridiculous displays, I’m pretty sure they could of raised 3x the money.

Cowboy

I didn’t stay for the actual pole climb, I’d seen enough. I wasn’t alone. There were many that left with me. Sad but true. Get it together Ranchmans for next year. You have a great idea, just a lousy way of doing it.

I’m pretty sure I won’t be invited back next year now. That’s okay if it even means they’ll think about what they’re doing. Maybe hold the auction indoors. Maybe don’t keep butting in on the auctioneer. People get bored quickly.

Just this authors opinion!