A local man has entertained thousands of people across North America over the years with his horse Flicker and is our CTV Calgary Inspiring Albertan this week.

At a spry 91 years of age, Steve Sereda loves to reminisce about his days touring North America with his horse flicker in the 1940s, 50s and early 60s.

“Every province in Canada, United States, half the United States, Alaska, except Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island. I couldn’t make it,” said Sereda.

Sereda linked up with some big names in western entertainment during his career, beginning with Lash LaRue, a western movie star of the 1940s and 50s.

They first worked together at the Calgary Stampede and Sereda credits LaRue with helping him achieve success.

 “He gave me quite a few things, how to run it. And then I got in touch with a million dollar with the city of Sedalia, Missourii to appear with Gene Autry and Eddie Dean,” said Sereda.

The connection with Autry and Dean took the Wakaw, Saskatchewan boy all the way to Hollywood.

Sereda’s memorabilia is on display at the Stockmen's Memorial Foundation in the Cochrane Ranchehouse.

Back in Sereda’s day western entertainers and their horses had to look flashy so his saddle and bridle were decorated with silver by Riley & McCormick Western Wear of Calgary.

The Stockmen's Memorial Foundation is honoured that Sereda chose to place these items in its library and archives.

“He took this horse and hauled it all over North America when he was just a young man and really dedicated to the animal that, and we are a livestock related organization, so people who are able to do that and perform and make a living at it, we really honour that and respect that, that's for sure,” said Don Hepburn from the Stockmen's Memorial Foundation

While he performed with some big names, much of the time Sereda was a solo act. “When I was travelling on my own, I used to make it 70,000 miles a year. That's a lot of travelling.”

For entertaining hundreds of thousands of North Americans and sharing his life by donating his artifacts to the Stockmen's Memorial Foundation, Steve Sereda is our Inspiring Albertan this week.

(With files from Darrel Janz)