At the Calgary Stampede, the starting gun is fired in the fight over Alberta separation - BBC News

Canadian unity takes centre stage at the Calgary Stampede as fears of a Brexit-style upset looms over the October vote on Alberta's future.

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Watch: Albertans weigh in on independence from Canada

Over a million people descend on the Calgary Stampede every year to marvel at the iconic chuckwagon race, a sport invented in the Albertan city where carriage drivers race teams of horses around the track to the sound of pounding hooves, or be amazed by the speed of bareback riders racing in First Nations horse relays.

The 'Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth' is the marquee event on Alberta's summer calendar, a distinctly western Canadian spectacle where political leaders also have to test their mettle, judged on the quality of their pancake flips at community Stampede breakfasts and their ability to pull off a cowboy hat.

This year, however, looming over the festivities and carnival music of the stampede grounds is the upcoming referendum on Alberta's place in Canada. In October, Albertans will vote on whether they want the province to remain in the country, or hold a binding referendum later on separation.