The Calgary Stampede Showband has solidified its spot as the best in the world and captured a third-straight championship title at the World Association of Marching Show Bands competition in Brazil.

The 124 members returned from South America with the hardware and attended a homecoming celebration at the Agrium Western Event Centre on Monday.

“They’re a great group of students and they’ve been working hard all year for this goal and went to Brazil for the world championships and came out on top. It was an unreal experience,” said Aaron Park, Director of Bands, Calgary Stampede Showband.

It was Park’s first year as director and his group put together a ten-minute Aurora themed production for the judges this year.

“It’s all about light. It was a beautiful production that they did and we’re competing against bands from all over the world,” he said. “They’re the hardest working kids in Calgary. They’re just an incredible bunch.”

The Calgary Stampede Showband has won the world championships five times and is the most successful showband in the history of the competition.

Park says with a hat-trick on the line, there was some pressure going into the competition. “There’s definitely some pressure when you’ve got that reputation. There’s an expectation to keep that going for sure. But we worked hard and the group didn’t disappoint.”

“It was such a surreal experience to win the competition and it was a blast being down there,” said first year bandmember Haley Overholt. “I feel so blessed to be a part of this band and I’m so proud of all my friends.”

Band members say the event is worth it but it takes a team of volunteers and parents and staff to make it happen.

“They’ve got a great team. The kids, the staff, the committee, the parents, we just all work for the same goal and when we see what they do achieve, you only get that through hard work and working as a team and it’s just very, very rewarding,” said Debbie Teel Stampede Band Committee.

“It is really physically grueling and demanding and just knowing that they’re there watching us on the sides is pretty supportive so,” said veteran member Sam Teel.

The members of the band rehearse about 800 hours a year and twelve hours a days leading up to Stampede.

The Calgary Stetson Show Band also did well and placed second overall at the championships.

“Our kids also worked with so much integrity and pride and so much diligence to do what they were going to do. They actually placed second overall and they broke our Stetson band record and scored 92.4 in the final round, which was fantastic,” said Andrea Ciona, Band Director of Calgary Stetson Show Band.

More information can be found on the Calgary Stampede Showband and Calgary Stetson Show Band websites.