Local Pioneer and Rodeo Champion

Clem Gardner was the second son of Captain and Mrs. Gardner. He was born in Russel, Manitoba in 1885. The Elder Gardners came to Pirmez Creek the following year in a democrat with their two sons Clem and Teddy. Clem and his brother received some private schooling at home, later he attended school at Springbank for a few years. At Springbank School Clem met Helen Hutchinson, who was later to become his wife.

Clem’s first job at 17 was to break 70 head of horses for Goddard at the Bow River Horse Ranch. The ranch was situated on the south side of the· Bow River between Cochrane and Calgary. Clem was paid $5 per head for breaking. Captain Gardner felt at this time they were being crowded out so in 1905 Clem and his brother Teddy and sister Ruby headed for the Hand Hills country east of Drumheller. This proved to be a disastrous venture. In June of 1911, Clem married Helen Hutchinson. Helen was born in 1884, she and her parents came from Lanardshire, Scotland to Quebec and in 1887 they moved to Calgary. Helen and Clem’s first child, a boy, died as an infant and is buried on the ranch. Later three more children were born, Noel, Audrey and Joan. I believe Noel is the only one alive today.

Clem Gardner had to be one of Canada’s best all-round cowboys. He has a long list of accomplishments illustrated by the many trophies he has won, He rode in his first rodeos in 1907, and won bronc riding honors at the first Calgary Stampede in 1912. Clem had a chuckwagon of his own, and at Calgary, driving his own wagon, he had a penalty-free time of 1.10.1 He was the first driver to use Throughbred horses for chuckwagon racing, competing from 1923 to 1946. He owned and rode his own steeplechasers to many victories on the old Cochrane race track and at Millarville races.

Gardner’s favorite sport was polo and he played twice a week for the Calgary team, often trailing his ponies 25 miles each way, with the help of his two daughters. Clem competed in horse shows for more than 40 years. Clem Gardner was honored in 1952 by the Calgary Stampede Board for his many years of dedicated competition. In 1908 the Grayson place north of Bragg Creek was added to the home range, along with 300 head of cattle. He then added the Whittley place and six sections of the Rick’s ranch. Clem was well known in Cochrane and area. On Easter Sunday, 1963 Clem, who had been to St. Steven’s church in Calgary died of a heart attack on the way home. When Archdeacon Swanson conducted his funeral service, Swanson said “I say this of Clem Gardner, There was a man.”