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With the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo’s move to Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas for 2020, two of its most popular ancillary events – Cowboy Christmas and the Junior World Finals – are also on the move for one year. Las Vegas Events has partnered with the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) to host Cowboy Christmas inside the Fort Worth Convention Center and the Junior World Finals at the Cowtown Coliseum.

Both events will run concurrently with the Wrangler NFR, Dec. 3-12, 2020. The Fort Worth Convention Center is located 20 minutes from Globe Life Field. Cowtown Coliseum is in the Fort Worth Stockyards, just minutes from downtown. Built in 1908, the historic Coliseum was home to the world’s first indoor rodeo. Today, the Stockyards are undergoing a renaissance with restoration of more historic buildings from the Old West.

“While it’s unfortunate we will not present Cowboy Christmas in Las Vegas, we look forward to sharing this unique Western shopping and lifestyle experience with our fans in Fort Worth,” said Las Vegas Events President Pat Christenson.

Held every year since 1986, Cowboy Christmas has grown into the ultimate shopping and interactive experience. Attendees will find unique products, including custom-made jewelry, western wear, boots and spurs, furniture, original art, handmade crafts and home goods. Cowboy Christmas also offers the best source for official Wrangler NFR and PRCA merchandise. Admission to Cowboy Christmas is free.

“Fort Worth is thrilled to host Cowboy Christmas and the Junior World Finals this December,” said Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price. “As the city of cowboys and culture Fort Worth is the ideal location for these events, and we can’t wait for visitors to experience our rich heritage and hospitality.”

To add the overall experience at the Fort Worth Convention Center, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation’s Hunter & Outdoor Christmas Expo will be co-located with Cowboy Christmas. The show is one of the largest outdoor and hunting-related expos in the country.

In addition to the shopping, attendees will find a variety of entertainment and offerings. The Rodeo Live Stage will host four live daily shows, including RFD-TV’s Western Sports Roundup, Outside the Barrel with Flint Rasmussen, Cowboy Revival with host Shane Minor and RMEF’s Cowboy Calcutta. NFR Central, an area featuring interactive displays, will host the NFR Extra podcast broadcasting daily.

More than 250,000 square feet of exhibit space for 250 exhibitors and interactivity will be utilized for the show. Full daily schedules, parking information and hours of operation will be announced at a later date.

The Junior World Finals will be held for the fifth consecutive year. There will be qualifiers and finals in nine events (with various age groups per event): bull riding, bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, girls and boys breakaway, pole bending, team roping, tie-down roping and barrel racing. More than 700 entries are expected to compete in the Junior World Finals.

For more information on Cowboy Christmas, Junior World Finals and the Wrangler NFR, please visit NFRexperience.com or through social media at /LasVegasNFR and use #WranglerNFR.

About Las Vegas Events

Founded in 1983, Las Vegas Events is a private, not-for-profit organization funded by hotel room tax. Through its Signature Event initiative, LVE has created a model to integrate all elements of special events and formally improve communication between event producers and Las Vegas’ hotel properties and sponsors. Since 1991, Las Vegas Events has produced, presented or supported more than 800 events.

www.lasvegasevents.com

About the Wrangler NFR

The Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR), considered the world’s premier rodeo, features 10 straight days of the best in PRCA PRORODEO competition, with a total of 120 contestants competing every night in seven events. Each December, the top 15 contestants, based on the PRCA | RAM World Standings, in bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping, saddle bronc riding, tie-down roping, barrel racing, and bull riding qualify to compete at the Wrangler NFR.

www.prorodeo.com

This year’s National Finals Rodeo (NFR) is facing unprecedented uncertainty, leaving its location and fan attendance hanging in the balance.

Since 1985, the season-ending rodeo extravaganza has found its home at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. However, the Professional Cowboys Rodeo Association (PRCA) recently issued a statement on its website, indicating that the NFR might either shift to a different city or proceed without fans, all due to the challenges posed by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The statement assured rodeo enthusiasts that the NFR would take place, ensuring the crowning of rodeo champions. However, it underscored the impracticality of conducting the event with a live audience in Las Vegas, leading to the possibility of hosting it entirely fanless.

Exploring other options, organizers are contemplating moving the event to a different city that might permit limited fan attendance, balancing the thrill of live action with safety precautions.

The NFR is typically accompanied by several notable events, including the annual PRCA convention, the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame gala, the NFR contestant back number ceremony, and the prestigious PRCA awards banquet. The PRCA has also pledged to work diligently to accommodate individuals who have previously purchased NFR tickets, emphasizing their commitment to their dedicated fans.

A final resolution on the NFR’s venue and fan participation is anticipated by September 30.

The Wrangler National Finals Rodeo holds a revered status as the PRCA’s season-ending championship event, acclaimed globally as the pinnacle of rodeo excellence. It showcases the talents of the world’s best cowboys, barrel racers, and livestock.

Qualifying for the Wrangler NFR is a testament to the competitors’ skills and dedication. The Top 15 contestants in standard rodeo events—bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping (headers and heelers), saddle bronc riding, tie-down roping, WPRA barrel racing, and bull riding—earn their spot based on earnings during the regular season, incorporating the ProRodeo Tour, the 12 RAM Circuit Finals Rodeos, and the RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo. Bull riders, in particular, also factor in their PRCA Xtreme Bulls Tour earnings in this prestigious qualification process.

Las Vegas, like many places worldwide, has felt the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on its events calendar.

Cowboy Christmas, an annual retail gift show traditionally held in December at the Las Vegas Convention Center during the National Finals Rodeo (NFR), will not take place in 2020.

This cherished event, featuring Western-themed crafts and art, typically attracts over 250,000 visitors each year, making it a significant gathering. Unfortunately, it is now another casualty of the pandemic.

Las Vegas Events, the organization responsible for coordinating special events during the rodeo, confirmed on Tuesday that the show’s cancellation is irrespective of whether the rodeo itself occurs in Las Vegas.

The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) had previously announced on August 19 that they were exploring options for hosting the rodeo. Historically, the Las Vegas NFR has been one of Las Vegas’s most successful special events.

The PRCA, based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, stated that a decision regarding the rodeo’s location and whether or not fans will be in attendance will be made by September 30. The consideration includes the possibility of holding the event in Las Vegas without fans or searching for an alternative host city.

The PRCA mentioned last week that holding the event in Las Vegas with fans would not be feasible. They are also assessing the possibility of relocating the event to another city for 2020, where events like Cowboy Christmas, designed for spectators, could be accommodated.

However, hosting the rodeo without fans in Las Vegas poses challenges for Las Vegas Events, as ticket sales revenue contributes significantly to the prize pool.

All exhibitors will receive full refunds for their participation in the event.

While it is unfortunate that Las Vegas is unable to host the #WranglerNFR with fans in 2020, we would like to get your feedback on the PRCA's plans for potentially hosting in another destination.

TAKE THE SURVEY HEREhttps://t.co/fHr4HtKER6 pic.twitter.com/BvBmaZd549

— Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (@LasVegasNFR) August 21, 2020

Las Vegas Events representatives have expressed their willingness to collaborate with the PRCA to explore the feasibility of hosting Cowboy Christmas in conjunction with the rodeo if it takes place in another location. They aim to finalize these plans by the end of September.

Cowboy Christmas, one of NFR’s most successful and beloved ancillary events in Las Vegas, has evolved into a sprawling 440,000-square-foot shopping and interactive experience. With over 350 exhibitors from across the United States, it caters to the Western lifestyle, offering live entertainment, specialty food and beverages, and Western-themed exhibits.

The RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo, one of the biggest rodeos of the PRORODEO season and one that will have a total distribution of $500,000, will take place in Greeley, Colo., in September.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the RAM NCFR, originally scheduled to take place in Kissimmee, Fla., in April, will instead move to Greeley for the 2020 season and is scheduled for Sept. 10-13.

“The RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo is one of the most significant PRORODEOS of the year,” PRCA CEO George Taylor said. “It was imperative we have this event, and the committee in Greeley is going to help that by stepping up to host it.”

The RAM NCFR is the most prestigious rodeo under the PRCA circuit system and will crown the circuit champions. The RAM NCFR is also one of the highest-paying events in PRORODEO. While the Greeley Stampede was canceled this season, hosting the RAM NCFR in September will have a substantial economic impact.

“The Greeley Stampede is thrilled to host the RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo,” said Chad P. Sanger, Chair of the Greeley Stampede. “We will take strict precautions to offer the event as safely as possible while bringing an economic benefit to our city.”

The RAM NCFR will feature contestants from each of the 12 U.S. circuits plus Canada and Mexico, bringing more than 200 contestants to Island Grove Regional Park for five competition rounds over the four days. The event will culminate with a semifinals and finals on Sunday, Sept. 13, when the national circuit champions will be crowned.

The RAM NCFR will return to Kissimmee in 2021. It is scheduled for April 9-11 and will again be a key ingredient for cowboys shooting to qualify for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas.

“We were disappointed that issues related to COVID-19 prohibited Osceola County from hosting the RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo this year,” Osceola County Chairwoman Viviana Janer said. “We’re glad to see the circuit finals will take place in Greeley, and plans are already in process to again host this fantastic event in 2021.”

Courtesy of PRCA