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Calgary Herald

Harry the Horse mascot celebrates 40 years with the Calgary Stampede

The Calgary Stampede's most well-known steed, Harry the Horse, is celebrating his 40th anniversary with the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth. Article content Harry the Horse debuted as the official mascot of the Stampede on March 14, 1985, at the Rodeo Royal, after replacing Jim Dandy and his horse, Nellie. Article content Article content The original design and sketches of Harry were created by Wendy Issacs, a local artist and wife of the Stampede promotion committee chair at the time, James Issacs. Article content Article content Since his establishment four decades ago, Harry has secured a soft spot in Calgarians' hearts, said Bob Ell, current chair of the Stampede promotion committee. Article content Article content Harry serves at several events, including Stampede breakfasts, the Stampede Parade and several events outside of the 10 days of Stampede. Article content 'If it's a major event that the city or someone is sponsoring, then Harry is there,' Ell said. 'More recently, he's been at the Rotary International Convention and the Stampede Bowl.' Article content Although Harry can't speak — he is a horse, after all — he still delivers the message about the traditional western values associated with the Stampede wherever he makes an appearance. Article content 'He's representing the Stampede in that flavour, and just the desire for people to lean more about what we do in Alberta,' he said. Article content Throughout the course of the year, Harry attends between 60 to 80 events. Article content Article content Ell estimates that hundreds of thousands of Harry the Horse photos are taken every year. Article content Ell said Harry's 40th anniversary has been promoted on social media, alongside a celebration of the milestone at the Stampede Parade on Friday. Article content 'We run into so many people who have fond memories about Harry, and they still have photos of him from when they were kids,' Ell said. Article content Harry's fame and notoriety extends past the Stampede, and has gone international. Article content 'Harry has actually done a lot of work, even globally, by visiting countries like Australia, China and New Zealand,' he said. 'He's performed for around 40 million people, including things like prime ministers, dignitaries and even Muhammad Ali.' Article content Similarly to how Disney has Mickey Mouse, Ell said their mainstay figure is Harry the Horse. Article content 'Harry has become that for the Calgary Stampede, and it's just the way he portrays the hospitality — welcoming and so forth. So many kids have fond memories of Harry.'