The Ponoka Agricultural Society is gearing up for the return of the Black Elk Cutting Show at the Calnash Ag Event Centre in Ponoka, Alberta, from September 2-7, 2026. The six-day event is one of two major cutting horse shows held in Ponoka each year and draws competitors from across Canada and the Pacific Northwest.
The Black Elk Cutting Horse Association has been running shows at the Calnash for 13 years, making it the largest cutting horse show in Canada. In recent years, contestants have come from British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, South Dakota, Washington, Oregon, Montana, and California, according to Lyle Reid, president of the association.
Cutting is a western equestrian sport where a horse and rider work to separate a single cow from a herd and prevent it from returning, showcasing the horse’s agility and training. The event brings a significant economic boost to Ponoka, as competitors and spectators fill local hotels, restaurants, and retail businesses.
The Calnash Ag Event Centre, a fully covered multi-use facility spanning over 180,000 square feet, has hosted the show since it opened in 2012. The venue was developed through a partnership between the Ponoka Ag Society, Ponoka Stampede Association, Ponoka County, and the Town of Ponoka.
From May 2012 to September 2020, Black Elk Cutting paid out over $1.6 million in prize money across 14 shows. Alberta’s equine community as a whole contributed nearly $1.4 billion to the provincial GDP in 2021, supporting over 20,300 full-time equivalent jobs, according to the Alberta Equestrian Federation.
The Black Elk Cutting Horse Association is a non-profit organization that works closely with the Ponoka Ag Event Centre to produce premier western equine events. The September show is one of several equestrian events on the Ponoka Agricultural Society’s calendar, which also includes stock horse shows, team penning competitions, and stock dog trials throughout the year.
