The stage is being set for the Labour Day rodeo weekend with a special family movie night under the stars at the Cochrane Ranche Historic Site.

The classic Australia Western "The Man from Snowy River" will be presented in the park by the Stockmen's Memorial Foundation on a huge LED screen this Thursday, Aug. 29 starting at 7:30 p.m. The movie has a run time of 1 hour, 42 minutes.

Sigrid Thornton and Tom Burlinson (who was born in Canada) are two of the major leads in the Australian western film "The Man from Snowy River." It's being shown under the stars this Thursday night at the Cochrane Ranche Historic Site.

The Man from Snowy River is a 1982 film based upon the 1890 poem of Banjo Paterson. It stars Kirk Douglas in a dual role,  Sigrid Thornton and Tom Burlinson, who was actually born in Canada but whose family moved several times before settling in Australia in 1965.

The film was met with critical acclaim and won multiple awards in Australia and a Golden Globe nomination as best foreign film. It was awarded for being the most popular film at the 1982 Montreal World Film Festival.

The poet and this poem, in particular, are legendary in Australia, explains Stockmen's executive director Scott Grattidge.

"It's all evolved out of that poem and it's so ingrained in Australian culture that if you look at the $10 Australian bill it has Banjo Paterson on the bill and in the background, they have microscopically written the entire poem on the bill."

The film is suitable for all, he says.

"It is something all generations can enjoy, there's nothing contentious and it has some great horseback riding scenes. To hear those thundering hooves when sitting under the stars at the Cochrane Ranche we thought would be a great fit."

Briefly, before the movie is shown, they'll be a few very brief presentations including one by Joe Messina, who is the manager for Cervus Equipment in Balzac. He's Australian and recently returned to the area. By the way, his son's name is Banjo.

Admission is free but donations are welcome. People are encouraged to bring lawn chairs/ blankets and come early to secure a prime spot. They'll be snacks and locally-made sausage available for purchase (cash only).

"It's designed to be a fun evening event during the week so everybody can come before they head out for the long weekend or if you're here for the long weekend, it's a great precursor to get you in the mood for the Lions Rodeo."

"So you come to the old Historic Ranch and watch an old Western and sit in the same place a lot of cattle pioneer and Indigenous people did in the past."

This is the latest community outreach of the foundation. They've been more frequently participating in events like last Friday's Indigenous Day at the Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park and the CHAPS Chautaugua in mid-July. Their series of talks have been attracting crowds of up to 200 people and included presentations on the famed King Brothers and Bill Begley.

They're always looking for ideas for future talks and have a few up their sleeves to unroll.

"We're trying to add a few more events and things that interest people rather than just having them come to us. Truthfully, not everybody knows we're in the RancheHouse so we need to promote ourselves and get out, be visible and be relevant to share the history and the past."

Grattidge became executive director of the foundation last November and two months later Teresa Lewis came onboard as library coordinator.

The Stockmen's has amassed an incredible library and archive. It's a nonlending library where you can visit and complete your research or just marvel over their collection. There are over 13,000 books related to western culture from Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia, including a complete collection of Brand Books for Alberta from 1888 to present as well as some from the other provinces. In addition, there are over 6,000 magazines and videos, photo library, audiotapes as well as sheet music, maps, pamphlets and rodeo programs. 

There's a finetuned collection of art and artifacts and even a piano owned by the Thomas Cochrane family of Mitford (no relation to Senator Matthew Cochrane who established the Cochrane Ranche)  which has a story of its own. And then there's the hats, each worth a volume of tales.

Even the Cochrane RancheHouse is storied and was built for the shortlived Western Heritage Centre. Through a series of events, the Town of Cochrane purchased the building and land for a $1, based upon the condition they keep a Western heritage component.

The Stockmen's foundation was founded by a legislative act in 1980 and was largely created to preserve cancelled brands but their role is even larger.

"So we're a library, we're a brand archives, we're a gallery and we're a bit of museum, too. We're a combination of all those things to celebrate the history of western culture."