Inside The Life of a Stampede Vet

Behind GMC Stadium at the Calgary Stampede, I’m tucked away in the chuckwagon barn with Dr. Jessica Romanow, DVM'14. Today, she's taking me on a tour, showcasing the innovative practices and treatments available for these equine athletes. Throughout the ten days of Stampede, a large team of veterinary care experts led by Dr. Greg Evans are on hand to provide both medical oversight and care to the thousands of animals that participate in exhibition and competition. Supplementary care to competition animals is provided by an additional select group of approved veterinarians, at the request of their owners. A popular and experienced vet on the chuckwagon circuit, Dr. Romanow’s expertise is sought after by many of the drivers who are invited to race in Calgary.

Dr. Romanow starts her day at 7:00 a.m. with morning rounds. Rounds start with her checking not only on the horses but also with the chuckwagon drivers who have engaged her support. They are the first line of treatment, as they are the ones that know the horses best. They are often the ones who intuitively know if a horse needs a day off, some extra fluids, or maybe even a turn in the salt bath. Dr. Romanow then proceeds with her daily soundness exams to ensure the horses are in good shape for racing. Each night before the Evening Show, the horses must pass another veterinary inspection by the Stampede’s team of vets.  Much like at professional sporting events, Dr. Romanow is the doctor that wraps her client’s legs, massages tendons, and ensures their fitness is at its peak. 

Dr. Romanow works for the horses’ owners, and she knows these animals intimately. Following them throughout Western Canada on the World Professional Chuckwagon Association’s circuit, she is there for them year-round. Starting in February, she helps prepare them for competition, sees them through the competitive summer season, and monitors them throughout the fall and winter break as needed and in partnership with their owners.

Growing up in a “chuckwagon family,” it’s not surprising that after completing her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (UCVM), she now serves as the practicing veterinarian to many of the horses participating in the chuckwagon races at the Calgary Stampede. Dr. Romanow's journey from UCVM graduate to a key figure in this unique aspect of veterinary medicine shows how vast the world of veterinary medicine is.

“Why don’t we go see if there’s a horse in the salt bath?” suggests Dr. Romanow.

There’s a row of twelve horses in their stalls behind me. The lights are dimmed, the fans are blowing a cool mist, marking a noted temperature difference between the thirty-five degrees outside the barn. It’s nap time for the horses, and I’m feeling jealous of them right now as I step back outside into the hot July sunshine. . But my interest is piqued, ‘a horse salt bath, I’d like to see this!’.

We walk across the road beside the barn, as the chuckwagon kids run past in their bathing suits and floaties, about to jump into the Elbow River. Just outside the chuckwagon horse barn is the biggest horse trailer I’ve ever seen. There’s a horse standing outside in the shade of the trailer with its owner, awaiting its turn.

We pop our heads inside to see a beautiful thoroughbred relaxing in a cold plunge tub. This isn’t your average cold -plunge tub, though. It’s horse-sized, with customized entrance and exit doors so that the horse can saunter calmly in and out. Just like human athletes use cold plunges to soothe sore muscles and speed up recovery, these horses benefit from the same treatment. I have to remind myself that I’m at the Stampede, where elite animal athletes have access to top-tier amenities and care —not just a horse day-spa.

As we continue back into the barn and walk down another alley, she asks a young boy running alongside us, “What generation are you? Fourth? Fifth?”

“Fifth, I think. Oh no, fourth. Grandpa Lanny drove. Then Grandpa Smith. And now Daddy.”

Indeed, the tradition of chucks transcends not only history but bloodlines. Most chuckwagon drivers today come from a long line of chuckwagon drivers. A family tradition of hard work, discipline, and care. As I watch the boy casually give each horse a pat as he runs along playing, I can see the love and respect for animals that has been nurtured in him.

“I’m so glad for the advancements in welfare and safety that I’ve seen in the past ten years. Even in this short time we’ve seen the implementation of ‘Fitness to Compete’ health check standards, drug testing, safety arms on the racetrack so that there is a safe place to pull over, improvements in racing surfaces, and a decrease from four wagons racing at a time to three to provide an extra margin for error,” says Dr. Romanow.

“We are proud to be leaders in this industry and are focused on continual improvement within our unique Fitness to Compete program”, says Kristina Barnes, Calgary Stampede Director of Agriculture & Western Events, “We are able to continue to innovate through the partnership and support of experts in research, animal behavior and veterinary medicine. In addition, the day-to-day support provided by the vast group of veterinary experts on site during the annual Stampede is invaluable.” 

This story isn't just about tradition, but about evolution. It's about the melding of knowledge from diverse disciplines and the wisdom gleaned from experience. A thread weaves through each horse stall, connecting past to present, and charting a course for the future—a future that respects and protects the very heart of chuckwagon racing, the horses. Dr. Romanow and other UCVM alumni are dedicated to providing animal care across the province. Their work spans beyond the Stampede, ensuring that, through their care, the highest standards of veterinary care and innovative practices are available to equine athletes participating in rodeos and equestrian events throughout Alberta.