News

Rodeo enthusiasts seeking convenient transportation to and from the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR) can take advantage of the complimentary shuttle bus service known as the NFR Express. This service offers routes from the Las Vegas Convention Center and NFR’s official host hotels on the Las Vegas Strip and Downtown to the Thomas & Mack Center.

From Thursday, December 5th, to Saturday, December 14th, shuttle buses will be available for pick-up at Cowboy Christmas, situated at the Las Vegas Convention Center. This one-way route, known as the Rodeo Express Shuttle, will run directly from the Las Vegas Convention Center South Hall to the Thomas & Mack Center.

Starting on December 5th, the NFR Express will also offer complimentary routes to and from the NFR sponsor hotels, with a total of fourteen routes covering 24 hotel properties.

Pat Christenson, president of Las Vegas Events, emphasized the efficiency of the NFR Express, stating, “The NFR Express is the most efficient means to get to the Thomas & Mack Center. In addition to the routes that service our hotel partners, there is a one-way shuttle that allows fans to move from Cowboy Christmas to the arena. Due to increased traffic and parking congestion at the Thomas & Mack Center, we encourage fans to consider this complimentary mode of transportation.”

In 2019, all Wrangler NFR performances commence at 6:45 p.m. (PT), with NFR Express pick-ups starting at 5 p.m. (PT) and return service until 10:30 p.m. (PT). Note that there is no shuttle bus service during the actual rodeo performance.

Rodeo fans are strongly advised to make use of the NFR Express for round-trip transportation. Additionally, it’s recommended that fans allocate approximately 15 minutes for traffic conditions from each hotel pick-up point.

The NFR Express routes and pick-up points are as follows:

• Route 1 – One-Way Express Shuttle: Cowboy Christmas – Las Vegas Convention Center, South Halls (Bronze Parking Lot)
• Route 2: MGM Grand – West wing entrance
• Route 3: Sam’s Town – Rear entrance (behind the food court)
• Route 4: Mandalay Bay – Shark Reef entrance; Tropicana – North entrance
• Route 5: Hard Rock Hotel – Main entrance; Westgate – East Tower entrance
• Route 6: New York-New York – Main entrance; The Orleans – Valet entrance
• Route 7: Gold Coast – Valet entrance; Rio – Rotunda entrance
• Route 8: The D – Main entrance; Golden Nugget – Carson Tower entrance
• Route 9: Downtown Grand – Entrance at 3rd St. and Ogden Ave.; The Plaza – The Plaza Welcome Sign – Main St. and Carson Ave.
• Route 10: Caesars Palace – Tour bus area (Under Planet Hollywood sign); The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas – Main entrance (north wall)
• Route 11: The Mirage – North valet entrance; Treasure Island (TI) – Bus loading zone, near the South Side Valet
• Route 12: Flamingo – Tour bus area; Harrah’s – Bus tour lobby
• Route 13: Bally’s – North entrance; Planet Hollywood – Tour bus area
• Route 14: Silverton – Main entrance; South Point – Main entrance

For more information on the Wrangler NFR and Cowboy Christmas, please visit NFRexperience.com or follow them on social media at /LasVegasNFR, using the hashtag #WranglerNFR. For the latest news on Pro Rodeo and Wrangler NFR coverage, visit Vegasnfr.com or connect through social media at @PRCA_ProRodeo.

From Dec. 5 – 14 at Cowboy Christmas, Rodeo Live presented by RODEOHOUSTON will bring live talk show style entertainment to rodeo fans. Free to the public, Cowboy Christmas is open 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. (PT) daily at the Las Vegas Convention Center, South Halls and features just under 350 exhibitors and interactive elements for rodeo fans.

Each day, Rodeo Live presented by RODEOHOUSTON will feature the following:
RFD-TV’s Western Sports Roundup – starting at 10 a.m.
Cowboys for Conservation Calcutta – starting at 11 a.m.
Outside the Barrel with Flint Rasmussen – starting at noon
Keepin’ It Country with host Andy Griggs – starting at 1:15 p.m.

Rasmussen has been a staple at Cowboy Christmas and continues to deliver laughs, entertainment and special guests during the ten days. Also back for a second year is the live-music show “Keepin’ It Country,” with host Andy Griggs. The new Cowboys for Conservation Calcutta, in partnership with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, will be held daily.

Additional one-time events include the Miss Rodeo America Scholarship Foundation Auction on Saturday, Dec. 7 at 3 p.m. and the Fellowship of Christian Cowboys Public Church Service on Sunday, Dec. 8 at 3:30 p.m.

To add to the overall experience, RMEF’s Hunter & Outdoor Christmas Expo will be co-located upstairs in the South Halls from Cowboy Christmas. Over the past 33 years, Cowboy Christmas has attracted more than 4.4 million attendees.

In addition to Rodeo Live presented by RODEOHOUSTON, Cowboy Christmas will include the following main anchor displays and programming elements:

• Wrangler Rodeo Arena – The arena will seat more than 1,100 fans and feature the Flag Girl Competition, Exceptional Rodeo presented by NV Energy and, for the fourth consecutive year, the Junior World Finals with championship competitions in bull riding, bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, girls and boys breakaway, team roping, tie-down roping, pole bending and barrel racing.

• Coors Rodeo Saloon – Every great “rodeo” needs a saloon. Located near the east end of Cowboy Christmas, the Saloon features food vendors and video screens with a replay of the prior night’s Wrangler NFR performance;
• Rodeo Way – This “Old West” setting features eight interactive industry and rodeo exhibits located at the east entrance of Cowboy Christmas;
• NFR Central – This area will feature radio remotes, contestant and musician autograph sessions, giveaways and more. Dale Brisby will also be in attendance;
• Great Wall of Rodeo presented by Calgary Stampede – This fan favorite features a graphic of all Wrangler NFR contestants and other interactive elements.
• Bites and Brews presented by Total Feeds – A series of custom food and beverage carts will be located on the second floor adjacent to the Wrangler Rodeo Arena.

12 Gauge Ranch, Bloomer Trailers, Rockstar Energy, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, StubHub, Traeger Wood Fired Grills, Wrangler and YETI serve as Gold Buckle sponsors. Silver and Bronze sponsors include Boot Barn, Browning, B&W Trailer Hitches, Calgary Stampede, Cavender’s, Classic Equine, Cloud Touch, Coors, Impact Gel, Justin, Lucas Oil, NV Energy, Nevada State Bank, Panhandle, Pendleton Whisky, Priefert, Purina, Pro Fantasy Rodeo, Ram Rodeo, RFD-TV, RODEOHOUSTON, SmartPak, Star Nursery and Total Feeds, Inc.

Cowboy Christmas brought large crowds to the Las Vegas Convention Center over the ten days in 2018, reaching 232,595.

Sold out for more than 300 consecutive performances, the Wrangler NFR attracts the top 15 contestants in bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping, saddle bronc riding, tie-down roping, barrel racing, and bull riding. Under the new contract with the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association that runs through 2024, the purse in 2019 is $10 million. Qualification is based on the 2019 PRCA World Standings.

Courtesy of NFRexperience.Com

Special LIVE Announcement on The Cowboy Channel and RFD-TV
Wednesday, September 18
6 PM ET | 5 PM CT | 4 PM MT | 3 PM PT

The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) and Rural Media Group (RMG) have joined forces in a multi-year agreement that promises to reshape the way rodeo fans experience their favorite events. Commencing in 2020, the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR) will find its new home on The Cowboy Channel (TCC) and RFD-TV, marking a significant moment in the world of rodeo.

Under this groundbreaking partnership, the iconic NFR will be broadcast live to millions of viewers across two national television networks simultaneously. Additionally, the deal encompasses a wide array of PRCA programming, leading to expanded live coverage of both the PRORODEO TOUR and the PRCA’s Xtreme Bulls Tour events. This expansion will result in an unprecedented increase in the quantity, accessibility, and quality of PRCA PRORODEO coverage on The Cowboy Channel, featuring:

• Live coverage of all 10 nights of the NFR, with a new East Coast Prime Time encore airing the following day.
• Live broadcasts of a minimum of 18 PRORODEO TOUR final performances annually, complemented by a taped highlight show for encore presentations on both The Cowboy Channel and RFD-TV.
• Television coverage of 10 episodes of PRCA’s Xtreme Bulls, culminating in the Xtreme Bulls Tour Finale, with encore airings on both TCC and RFD-TV.

PRCA CEO George Taylor expressed his excitement about the milestone, stating, “This is a huge milestone in the growth of the PRCA. Never before has PRORODEO assumed the prime placement and coverage that will be seen under this deal. Our hats are off to Patrick Gottsch and his family, the owners of Rural Media Group, for their enthusiastic interest, support, and devotion to our sport.”

Patrick Gottsch, Founder & President of Rural Media Group, Inc., echoed the enthusiasm, saying, “We are so proud and excited to partner with the PRCA, the rodeo committees, and, of course, all the PRCA cowboys & cowgirls to aggressively produce and distribute original programming that will support rodeo 365 days a year, on networks that are totally dedicated to serving and expanding the western sports community. There is a Golf Channel, the NFL Network, a baseball network, a tennis channel, and so on. Now rodeo has its own channel(s). RMG plans to do everything for rodeo and the PRCA that these other media partnerships have done for their sports.”

The agreement is set to commence in early 2020 and will kick off with the introduction of the weekly PRORODEO Tonight show on The Cowboy Channel. Coverage of the PRCA regular season on The Cowboy Channel and RFD-TV is scheduled to begin in January. Fans can anticipate live broadcasts of the finals of each televised PRORODEO TOUR event on The Cowboy Channel, followed by taped highlight presentations later in the week during prime time and weekend afternoons on RFD-TV. The regular-season coverage will also include 10 episodes of the PRCA’s Xtreme Bulls series, each airing multiple times across various time slots. This extensive coverage will be a collaborative effort between PRCA and RMG.

As numerous country music acts descend upon Las Vegas for the upcoming event, here are eight performances that you absolutely must catch:

1. Old Dominion (Dec. 4-5) Venue: The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel Reason: Fresh off their victory as vocal group of the year at the Academy of Country Music Awards in April, Old Dominion returns to Vegas to delight fans with their hit “Make It Sweet.”
2. Dwight Yoakam & The Bakersfield Beat (Dec. 4, 6-7, 10, 12, and 14) Venue: Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas Reason: Dwight Yoakam keeps the spirit of Bakersfield country music alive and well, infusing it with a rock ‘n’ roll edge, honoring the legacy of Buck Owens.
3. Gary Allan (Dec. 6-7) Venue: The Joint at the Hard Rock Reason: A consistent presence at NFR, Gary Allan’s earthy and authentic country music is a cherished part of the annual festivities.
4. George Strait (Dec. 6-7) Venue: T-Mobile Arena Reason: The King of Country himself, George Strait, returns to pay homage to his loyal subjects, making a rare non-stadium appearance – an event not to be missed.
5. Jason Aldean (Dec. 6-8) Venue: Park Theater at Park MGM Reason: A poignant moment awaits as Jason Aldean headlines his first Las Vegas shows since the tragic events of October 1, 2017. His resilience mirrors that of the city itself.
6. Shania Twain (Dec. 7, 11, 13-14, and 18) Venue: Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood Resort Reason: The best-selling female country artist of all time, Shania Twain, launches her latest Vegas residency, “Let’s Go!” – a must-see event for her legions of fans.
7. Jamey Johnson (Dec. 13) Venue: The Showroom at the Golden Nugget Reason: This outlaw country maverick puts a contemporary twist on vintage honky-tonk, carrying the torch of legends like Waylon Jennings and Merle Haggard.
8. Kip Moore and Midland (Dec. 14) Venue: The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas Reason: Singer-songwriter Kip Moore joins forces with ACM Award-winning vocal group Midland in what promises to be one of NFR’s standout musical collaborations.

Related:

• NFR After Party
• What to Do during the Las Vegas NFR

After a three-month promotion, two performers have been selected by fans to sing the national anthem at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. The Wrangler NFR will kick off on Thursday, Dec. 5 and run through Saturday, Dec. 14.

The Wrangler NFR National Anthem Contest launched on Aug. 1. All entries had to be submitted by Aug. 23. Entries were received from 29 states. From there, an initial fan vote narrowed the list to the Top 30 and a panel of judges narrowed the list to the Top 8 for further open voting. From Sept. 26 through Oct. 3, fans voted on their selection of choice among the final eight entries. The 2019 winners were Jackie Akers, a repeat winner from 2018, and Allie Burget, a winner from 2016. Akers will perform on Dec. 8, while Burget will appear on Dec. 9.

A native of Carson, Iowa, Akers works in the Riverside Community School district in nearby Oakland. She lives in Carson with her husband, Cody, and two daughters – Carly and Layla. An experienced performer, she has had solos in numerous school plays and concerts and sang the national anthem for numerous events, ranging from sports to military events. For the past 14 years, Akers has been the lead female vocalist for the very popular church band at the Carson United Methodist Church. For the past 18 years, Akers has had the opportunity to sing the national anthem at the local Carson Rodeo.

Hailing from the small, rural town of Brewster, Wash., Burgett has been performing since she was a child. Following high school, she attended Gonzaga University in Spokane, where she graduated in 2017 with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Criminal Justice. Since then, she has worked as a paralegal and is planning on attending law school next year. In addition to performing the national anthem for rodeos and other athletic events, she enjoys performing country music and singing for her local church. Allie performed the national anthem at the NFR once before in 2016, which she recalls as one of the greatest honors and privileges she has received.

The full list of anthem performers includes:
Thursday, Dec. 5 – Jamie O’Neil
Friday, Dec. 6 – Easton Corbin (also performing at Rodeo Vegas)
Saturday, Dec. 7 – Billy Dean
Sunday, Dec. 8 – Jackie Akers (contest winner)
Monday, Dec. 9 – Allie Burget (contest winner)
Tuesday, Dec. 10 – Tracy Lawrence (also performing at the Golden Nugget)
Wednesday, Dec. 11 – Military Personnel from Nellis Air Force Base
Thursday, Dec. 12 – Mark Chestnut (also performing at Rodeo Vegas)
Friday, Dec. 13 – Craig Campbell
Saturday, Dec. 14 – Andy Griggs

Known as the richest and most prestigious rodeo in the world, the Wrangler NFR attracts the top 15 contestants in bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping, saddle bronc riding, tie-down roping, barrel racing, and bull riding to compete for a share of the $10 million purse and the coveted Gold Buckle. In 2018, the event had a total attendance of 169,171 over the 10 days of competition and has sold out more than 300 consecutive performances.

For more information on the Wrangler NFR and Cowboy Christmas, please visit NFRexperience.com or through social media at /LasVegasNFR and use #WranglerNFR. For the latest Pro Rodeo news and Wrangler NFR coverage, please visit VegasNFR.com or through social media at @PRCA_ProRodeo.