Here is a photograph I took recently. I would consider it one of the strangest I've ever shot. Rather than an otherworldy visitor, this is a distant photo of a special-effects gymnastics performer dangling over the Grandstand Show stage for this year's Calgary Stampede.
While the Stampede is stereotypical cowboy and cowgirl fun for the most part, the stage show veered far away from white stetson hats and saddle tack. Parts of it exceeded the spectacle of the 2010 Winter Olympics, as you can see from above. It was a breathtaking show. Nonetheless, the gigantic Michael Jackson-themed song and dance finale had zero cowboy cred, and although energetically performed, seemed to suit the Stampede about as much as would an all-vegan rodeo concession stand.
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