A Brazilian cowboy who will soon become only the third person in the world to cross the Americas on horseback is the honorary Calgary Stampede parade marshal for 2020, despite the event being cancelled.
Officials with the Calgary Stampede made the announcement Wednesday, saying Filipe Masetti Leite was originally going to lead the parade before the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.
For the past eight years, Masetti Leite has been crossing the Americas on horseback in sections at a time for Hospital de Amor in Barretos, Brazil.
He started his journey in Calgary in 2012 when he saddled up and set off from the Calgary Stampede’s centennial celebration.