Yahoo! It’s time for the Stampede!

BMO and the Calgary Stampede have a longstanding relationship. In fact, the Calgary Exhibition and Stampede is the oldest commercial customer of the BMO Calgary branch, having opened their account in 1896, only ten years after the branch opened. In 1899, BMO became the official bank of the Calgary Exhibition, the predecessor to the Stampede, and then an official sponsor in 1914.

Over the years, during the Stampede, BMO has sponsored prizes, hosted square dances and street entertainment, and produced historical displays about the Stampede that were displayed at branches across Calgary. Since 1996, the BMO Farm Family Award has been presented annually to outstanding farm families in southern Alberta who best illustrate the value of family farmers to society. The award was launched to promote urban-rural relationships. In 2009, BMO purchased the naming rights to the Roundup Centre, changing the name to BMO Centre. The centre was expanded in 2024, making it Canada’s largest convention centre.

BMO began operating a temporary branch on the Exhibition grounds in 1930, allowing exhibitors and attendees to do their banking while enjoying the Stampede. It originally operated from the Administration Building, as indicated on this retro advertisement from the late-1950s. The brightly-coloured, Western-themed advertisement outlines the services offered at the temporary branch, such as cashing travellers’ cheques, exchanging currency, and depositing proceeds of sales. Today, the temporary branch of yesteryear has been upgraded to a mobile branch and continues to help customers make real financial progress.

For more than 100 years, BMO has supported the Calgary Stampede and we hope to see this partnership continue to grow for the next 100.