When it comes to the Greatest Outdoor Show On Earth, The M.D. of Foothills is always well represented.

With the Calgary Stampede being the cream of the crop for agricultural showcasing, you could say the M.D. is a feeder for talent in all shapes and sizes.

For instance, the Stampede has a lot of local talent battling out for 100 thousand dollars at the rodeo and chuckwagons on a daily basis—but many forget about the great livestock that is in the M.D.

Reeve Larry Spilak says they're just as important as people in making the Stampede what it is today.

"What many people do not see is the cattle and the horses that go in," he says. "Show cattle and show horses and for sheep, every other type of animal, that is part of Foothills and we end up getting our share of prizes every year."

He says the M.D.'s reputation at the Stampede also opens the doors for future agricultural opportunities in the area.

"It's an opportunity to show off what we're made of in agriculture," Spilak says. "Its also an opportunity to entice people to foothills, to take a look at at the possibility of buying land here and setting up their farming operation."

Spilak says as the Stampede slowly winds, down he's proud of all participants involved.

"We have huge participation in the Stampede from a spectator view point but more so from a participant," he says. "You see the cowboys and you see the bull-riders and the steer-wrestlers, many of those come from the Foothills."

Just some of the locals involved at this year's Stampede include High River's Jason Glass and Jordie Fike in Chuckwagon racing along with Okotoks' Mark Sutherland to Cayley's Matt Lait in this year's Bareback competition at the rodeo.

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