It's Yahoo, not Yeehaw — here's why the Stampede chose that yell
An archive deep-dive reveals how "yahoo" became the official expression of Calgary's Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.
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When Guy Weadick created the Calgary Stampede in 1912, he actually favored "Whoop-Eee-Eee-Eee." But over the next century, "yahoo" became the unofficial battle cry of the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth — and it turns out, there's real history behind it.
The word "yahoo" appeared in Calgary Herald articles as far back as 1901, though it originally described an "ill-bred" man. By the 1920s and 1950s, it had shifted to mean a joyful shout. The first piece linking "yahoo" and Stampede together ran on July 15, 1949, when a reader wrote the Herald thanking Stampede officials and suggesting a hearty "yahoo" for their work.
"Yipee" was also a Stampede favourite in early decades. A 1953 Herald article praised local radio stations' coverage, saying "What do you say we give our three local radio stations a big yipee, with a couple of loud yahoos on the side." By 1983, yipee had largely faded from print; yahoo became the more common expression.
"Yeehaw" started appearing sometime after, but in 2018, the City of Calgary settled the debate once and for all with a Twitter poll. Yahoo won decisively: 80.6 percent to 19.4 percent.
Today, Stampede marketing and signage embrace the choice, with campaigns stating plainly, "It's Yahoo Not Yeehaw — It's a Stampede Thing." Harry the Horse, the Stampede mascot, always goes with a "yahoo."
