It’s time to round up some jeans, cowboy boots, a hat and a western shirt with pearly buttons and head up to Cheyenne Frontier Days.
Known in these parts as the “Daddy of ‘em All,” Cheyenne Frontier Days is the largest outdoor rodeo in the world and runs for 10 days at the end of July every year.
You don’t need to be a real cowboy or cowgirl or even dress the part to enjoy this historic event. Just sidle on up a few miles north of the Colorado border into Wyoming and enjoy a western tradition that has celebrated rodeos and western culture since 1897.
The fun of attending is seeing plenty of real cowboys both at the rodeo events and on the adjacent grounds. Big money is at stake. So, Cheyenne Frontier Days attracts about 1,800 top competitors with up to $1 million in cash and prizes on the line.
Is it your first rodeo? If so, here are some fun hints.
How to spot a real cowboy?
Look for the belt buckle. Instead of trophies, men and women competing in rodeo events win buckles and proudly wear them. The bigger and shinier the buckle, the better.
How do you know who wins in rodeo?
The rodeo features three types of events:
- Rough-stock events – bareback, saddle bronc and bull riding. In these events, cowboys have to stay on the animal for at least eight seconds, using just one hand. The highest scoring competitor wins.
- Timed events: team and tie-down roping, steer wrestling and barrel racing. The fastest time wins.
- Racing on the track. Teams compete in the wild horse race. They work together to try to saddle a horse, jump aboard and race to the finish line.
What’s a rodeo queen?
Don’t dismiss these queens as beauty pageant winners. These women can ride with the best of them. Miss Frontier and her lady in waiting wear traditional white buckskins, along with silk blouses and boots embossed with the Cheyenne Frontier Days arrowhead logo. Rodeo queens are traveling ambassadors for the sport. They haul their horses across the country and ride in multiple rodeos. Here, you can expect to see queens from across the U.S. and sometimes from other countries. Learn more about this year’s rodeo royalty.
Helpful hints if you’re heading to Cheyenne Frontier Days
When: July 19-28
Plan ahead: Review Frequently Asked Questions and read more about planning your trip.
What to do: Go to the rodeo, of course. It begins each day at 1 p.m. and attracts the best of the best since Cheyenne Frontier Days boasts one of the largest purses in professional rodeo.
Night shows: At night, bull riding and concerts entertain people. Click here for more information on Frontier nights Concerts.
Visit the Indian Village: Immerse yourself in authentic Native American culture. See costumes, dancing, storytelling, flute players and handicrafts.
Eat Pancakes for free: Each year the Cheyenne Kiwanis Club and the Frontier Days Indian Committee serve about 100,000 pancakes to nearly 25,000 people during free breakfasts downtown.
Get a behind-the-scenes tour of the chutes: Free. Guests get a look at rodeo from behind the scenes. Follow the path of the bulls and broncs as animals thread through the maze of gates on their way to the chutes and out into the arena.
A hometown event: Volunteers are at the heart of Cheyenne Frontier Days. More than 3,000 volunteers worked year-round to produce an event that attracted nearly a half million people.
Park-n-Ride:
Take advantage of shuttles to Frontier Park. The Park-n-Ride is at Interstate 25 and Happy Jack Road. If you’re heading north from Colorado, take exit 10D. Shuttles begin at 10:30 a.m. The time for the last returning shuttle varies by day of the week.