Cranbrook Girls Bugle Band win twice at the Calgary Stampede Parade

June 28th, 2025 1 Minutes

Cranbrook Girls Bugle Band at the Cranbrook archway with Pop Price

Pop Price founded the Cranbrook Girls’ High School Bugle Band in 1941. His vision was to take young women from the area and help them build character, purposefulness, and a foundational bridge into adulthood. The band not only provided a platform for these young women to develop their skills and character but also became a source of pride and inspiration for the local community, showcasing the talent and potential of its members.

This postcard of the girls photographed circa 1945 under the east arch entrance to Cranbrook shows a well-organized and disciplined group. Many girls thrived under the guidance of Pop Price and his successors. Following its inception in 1941, the group won several awards, including the Pacific National Exhibition in Vancouver for two consecutive years (1951-1952).

In 1952 and 1953, they entered the Calgary Stampede Parade and won the T. Eaton Trophy, which remains in the band’s permanent possession.

Price’s favourite expression demonstrated a tenderness toward his beloved girls. He often said, “God bless you, every one of my girls.” The group disbanded following the long-time leadership of Pat Ronalds. Ronalds, a dedicated facilitator, continued to lead the girls to championships during her tenure, instilling in them a sense of pride, confidence, and the ability to take on the world. She has said of her girls and their time with the Bugle Band: “They’ve on to great things – the girls are all over the world, and that’s something the band has helped them with.” The band’s legacy of leadership, marked by the profound influence on the lives of its members, commands respect.