A few days after my wedding in 2011, I jetted off to Calgary with my genius filmmaker friend Ian Mackenzie to capture the essence of the Calgary Stampede for it's 100-year celebration.
Together we produced a cutting edge series for the Matador Travel Network, showcasing the event, nightlife, culture, rodeo and people that make the Stampede "the Greatest Show on Earth". The series encompassed videos, articles and galleries, unafraid to ask the big questions - are animals being abused in the rodeo? - or to swallow the prairie oysters. We were proud of our work, and thrilled that the judges agreed too.
"The dynamic and exciting profile of the Calgary Stampede and the city of Calgary, AB, was a surefire winner for judge Jennifer Bell. 'I was drawn to the wealth of arts and culture that the city has to offer—and of course bull riding, beer drinking and country music,' Bell noted. 'Robin Esrock and the Matador Network brilliantly showcased one of the true jewels in Canada's tourism crown.'
I should also mention that I accepted the award in full drag, dressed in a platinum wig and slinky number for Tourism Winnipeg's shaken-not-stirred pre-Awards cocktail party.
There must be an award for being able to pull that off!