It's Friday, it's Friday, it's Friday! And we all know what that means, another Friday Find from Stockmen's Memorial Foundation coming at you. This week I go back to another hat selection. The overworn hat of Mr. Clem Gardner.
Clem Gardner can be best described in one word, trailblazer. Clem made his impact in the Western world very well known at a young age.
Born in Russell, Manitoba in 1885, Gardner travelled at just six months old with his family to settle in southwest Calgary on Pirmez Creek. His father, Captain Meopham Gardner, and mother, Margaret Gardner, decided to call their homestead "Burgie Ranch" and it was here that a young Clem learned to ride, rope and handle cattle.
It was evident that Gardner was going to grow up to become a top hand as he was always picking the biggest and baddest horses to ride and steer to rope.
At the age of 22, Gardner competed in his first rodeo. This was a special event as it was organized for future prime minister Sir Robert Borden.
Four years later, at the age of 26, Gardner would meet a lovely young lady by the name of Helen Hutchinson. It wouldn't take long for him to schmooze her and eventually marry her. Thereafter, they had three children and, taking after their father, they would grow up loving horses and ranching.
The first Calgary Stampede was held in 1912. Gardner would go on to enter himself in a number of events including the Canadian and open Saddle Bronc and steer roping and the Cowboy Relay Race. He would finish third in both events and ultimately take the title of Canadian Champion All-Around Cowboy. Throughout the coming years, Gardner would add to his impressive collection of trophies.
One year later in 1913, due to the First World War the Calgary Stampede was cancelled and it would be put on hold until 1919. The 1919 Calgary Stampede was named the "Victory Stampede" indicating and celebrating the end of the war.
In the "Victory Stampede," Gardner entered himself again in various competitions but did not have the same outcome as the first Stampede. Gardner and Texas cowboy Joe Gardner challenged one another in steer roping, covering five steers. They put a personal wager of $500 going to the winner. On his first run, Clem caught the steer in good time but his rope snapped, a mishap that never happened to him before this moment. This break put a wrench in his chances of winning and he handed over the jackpot to the Texan. A number of side bets where made on the head-to-head and much more than $500 was transfered. Clem truly believed until the day he passed away that his rope had been sabotaged.
The 1923, Stampede saw a new idea brought forth by Guy Weadick. The chuckwagon race. Though many believed the new feature fostered many risks and was ridiculous, eventually Gardner and five others agreed to participate and the chuckwagon race was established. Gardner would go on to have his biggest victory at the Calgary Stampede in 1931 winning the World Championship Chuckwagon Race.
Gardner passed away at the age of 78 and accomplished his lifelong dream of owning a big ranch. He was inducted into the Canadian Professional Rodeo Hall of Fame in 1985.
Although, Gardner wore many hats over his lifetime, one of a cowboy, one of a polo player and one of a father, the very hat he wore every day was a top quality one which he shaped himself over the years.
