Calgary

Calgary Stampede 2019 poster salutes women

This was the first year that Alberta's youth had a shot at designing Calgary Stampede's annual poster.

2019 poster competition 1st in Stampede history to award design competition to youth artist

Winners of the annual Stampede poster competition have their work shown worldwide, advertising the Calgary Exhibition and Stampede. This is the 2019 poster by Rebecca Shuttleworth. (Rebecca Shuttleworth)

The Calgary Stampede poster for 2019 will be a salute to women in western culture.

On Wednesday, Rebecca Shuttleworth's winning design — a chalk pastel image of a woman in western gear riding a horse — was unveiled, wrapping up the hunt for next year's poster. 

"The whole experience of being involved in the poster competition was surreal," said Shuttleworth in a prepared release. "As a fifth-generation farmer, I know how hard women work on the farm, and that's something that motivates me every day to do my best. It's what I wanted to show in my piece." 

Shuttleworth is from Balzac, Alta. Her love for art started the moment she was able to hold a crayon. And at 13 years old, she sold her first painting.

She's now in her fourth year at the University of Saskatchewan.

Rebecca Shuttleworth is the first youth to design a Calgary Stampede poster. Her work will be displayed worldwide as an advertisement beckoning visitors to Calgary for the 2019 edition of the Greatest Show on Earth. (YouTube)

This was the first year that Alberta's youth had a shot at designing the Calgary Stampede poster. And ahead of announcing the 2019 poster design and competition winner, more than 100 youths, aged 15 to 24, applied for a chance to have their work used as a worldwide advertisement. 

Incoming Stampede chairman and president Dana Peers said the competition was a really exciting way to align the iconic poster with the strategic goal of enabling youth achievement.

"We wanted to provide an opportunity for youth to showcase their talent on a world stage," said Peers in a prepared release. "We discovered how the next generation views the Calgary Stampede and the western way of life."

Rebecca Shuttleworth, winner of the 2019 poster competition, stands with Stampede incoming president Dana Peers. (YouTube)

He said it was hard to make a final decision. 

The Calgary Stampede poster competition distributed $20,000 in scholarships to eight finalists.

Part of the experience was a hands-on learning and development experience with local western artists and mentors —  including Shannon Lawlor, who was the first repeat Stampede poster artist, first in 2017 and again in 2018. 

The Calgary Stampede is now accepting applicants from Albertan youth for the 2020 poster competition