It was hyped as the party of the century.

This year’s Calgary Stampede was anticipated to be the granddaddy of the “grand vision” founder Guy Weadick pictured in 1912.

And with expectations taller than a 10-gallon hat, the Stampede lived up to its billing as the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.

The centennial bash will be remembered for sizzling summer days, record-setting attendance and spectacular country crooners.

“We knocked it out of the park this year,” said spokeswoman Jennifer Booth.

Daily attendance records were shattered for most of the 10-day hootenanny.

Officials say the 10-day total attendance was 1,409,371, a new cumulative record, outpacing the previous high by 234,674 visitors.

Attendance for Sunday was 110,168, falling short of the record for the same day set in 2006.

Not everything was rosy on the grounds.

Three horses were killed in a crash at the GMC Rangeland Derby, which prodded animal rights activists to picket outside the Victoria Park LRT station. Stampede officials say the horse had an undetectable pre-existing condition.

A kerfuffle was also spurred when a French-English rendition of the national anthem was dropped before the chuckwagon races. Officials later apologized and played a newly recorded bilingual version.

Patriotism abounded on the grounds.

Born-and-raised Calgarian Tracey Kjemhus travelled home from Grande Prairie to take in the fair, which she describes as the “pride of Alberta.”

“I can feel my heart swell when I come back to Calgary,” Kjemhus said.

Neither the controversies nor the lone day of wet weather kept thousands from jamming the stands on Showdown Sunday, rodeo’s richest day.

Claresholm cowboy Chad Besplug was crowned bull riding champion and handed a cool $100,000 as part of the more than $1 million in cash prizes.

Premier Alison Redford helped lead the RCMP Musical Ride on Sunday and later said the Stampede has been a great showcase for the province.

“This period of shattering attendance records, that speaks to what we are doing in Alberta right now,” Redford said. “We have a strong economy, we have a lot of people visiting, new people that have moved to the province and they are embracing our culture and traditions and that’s fantastic.”

The Stampede was a time for politicians to don western duds. There was plenty of schmoozing to be had with Prime Minister Stephen Harper, federal NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair, federal Liberal Leader Bob Rae and Liberal MP Justin Trudeau joining throngs of flapjack-flipping politicos.

But, country music stars took centre stage during the 10-day festival. Garth Brooks forever endeared himself to the city when he humbly told reporters that playing the 100th anniversary of the Stampede was “bragging rights for all my buddies back home.”

Brooks played a highly acclaimed, honest, energetic set in front of 16,000 fans who herded into the Scotiabank Saddledome. A promised return to Cowtown may be the only cold comfort for the scores of Brooks’ fans who were sold counterfeit tickets.

Brad Paisley, Johnny Reid and Paul Brandt also delighted country fans.

As the sun set on the Stampede’s centennial blowout, officials are no doubt dreaming in Weadick-esque manner of how to make the next 100 years bigger and better.

Fairgoer Chris Healy wondered the same:“What are they going to do next year?”

With files from Deborah Tetley, Calgary Herald.bweismiller@calgaryherald.com