News Releases

CALGARY, ALBERTA--(Marketwire - July 15, 2011) -

Editors Note: A photo for this release will be available via Marketwire on the picture wire of The Canadian Press.

All she had to do was use her BMO card.

As the winner of the BMO Financial Group "Giddy Up and win with BMO" contest that drew 24,583 entries from across Canada, Donna Snelgrove of Mount Pearl, NL, is attending her first Calgary Stampede while enjoying a three-night stay at the Fairmont Palliser, free entry and shows at the Stampede, $1,000 to spend on getting decked out in western wear plus a $1,000 credit towards her BMO credit card.

Joining Donna are her daughter Kimberly, Kimberly's fiancé, Brian, and Donna's grandson, Riley, aged 10. "I never thought I'd win. I've never won anything big before," said Donna. "My family is really excited and since my two sons, Corey and Scott, live in Alberta, I was thinking it could be like a family reunion." With Corey's birthday being July 13, Donna added that she thought this trip would be the perfect opportunity to surprise him.

Between April 1 and May 31, anyone with a BMO MasterCard or BMO Debit Card was able to register at BMOgiddyup.com, and every subsequent purchase made using the card counted as an entry for the contest.

"The contest provided a great opportunity for BMO to recognize our loyal customers from coast to coast and give them a chance to experience The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth," said Mike Suzuki, District Vice-President, South Alberta, BMO Bank of Montreal. "I'd like to thank everyone who entered, and extend a warm Western welcome to Donna. We are thrilled to offer the chance to share this iconic and historic Canadian event with our customers."

According to a recent survey from BMO Financial Group, Donna and her family will be attending one of the most sought-after Canadian events.

In the survey, conducted by Leger Marketing, the Calgary Stampede is identified by Canadians as an important event to attend – only the Grey Cup (13 per cent), the CNE (12 per cent) and the Toronto International Film Festival (11 per cent) had higher responses.

The BMO survey was completed on-line from June 27 to 30, 2011, using Leger Marketing's online panel, LegerWeb. A sample of 1576 Canadians, 18 years of age or older were surveyed with a margin of error of +/-2.5%, 19 times out of 20.

About BMO's Sponsorship of the Calgary Stampede

BMO has been the official bank of the Calgary Stampede since the first Stampede in 1912 and a sponsor for 31 years. This year, BMO will host family-fun events such as the BMO Farm Family Awards, BMO Kids' Day and the 10-day BMO Kids' Zone. The partnership includes the title sponsorships of the Farm Family Awards, honouring the contribution of those working in the agriculture industry, and BMO Kids' Day on July 13, which welcomes more than 25,000 people annually for a free pancake breakfast and plenty of fun family entertainment. BMO Centre in Stampede Park is one of the largest consumer/trade show facilities in Western Canada, and was awarded the Consumer's Choice Award as the city's favourite banquet and reception hall.