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Wrangler Rodeo Arena, one of the seven main interactive features of Cowboy Christmas, will host more than 850 youth contestants in the Junior World Finals presented by YETI vying for championships in nine events. The Junior World Finals will run concurrently with Cowboy Christmas and the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, Dec. 5 – 14.

Additional events to be held in the Wrangler Arena include Exceptional Rodeo presented by NV Energy on Dec. 9 at 10:30 a.m. PT and the Flag Girl Competition on Dec. 10 at 12:30 p.m. PT. In addition, the return of the Priefert Platform allows fans to watch the action from a raised VIP area overlooking the arena, with limited front-row seats on the rail.

Free to the public, Cowboy Christmas will be open 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The Wrangler Rodeo Arena is located on the second floor of the South Halls within the footprint of RMEF’s Hunter & Outdoor Christmas Expo and adjacent to Junior World Finals BLVD. and Bites and Brews presented by Total Feeds.

Wrangler Rodeo Arena, which boasts a seating capacity of more than 1,100, will host a variety of events and competitions. The Junior World presented by YETI will feature contestants 19-years-old and younger competing in many of the events the pros take part in at the Thomas & Mack Center, including bull riding, bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, girls and boys breakaway, team roping, tie-down roping, pole bending and barrel racing.

For more information on the Wrangler NFR, Cowboy Christmas and a complete Junior World Finals presented by YETI schedule, visit www.VegasNFR.com or through social media at /LasVegasNFR and use #WranglerNFR.

Daily admission is $5. For $20, attendees can purchase a five-day pass for the dates of Dec. 5-9 or Dec. 10-14. Access to the Priefert Platform will be $20 per day for each of the ten days of competition. Admission is based on seating availability. All proceeds will become “added money” for each rodeo event.

In addition to Wrangler Rodeo Arena, Cowboy Christmas will include the following main anchor displays and programming elements:

• Rodeo Live presented by RODEOHOUSTON – Daily features include Flint Rasmussen’s “Outside the Barrel,” RFD-TV’s Western Sports Roundup and Keepin’ it Country with host Andy Griggs. New in 2019 is the Cowboys for Conservation Calcutta;
• 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.

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

Rodeo enthusiasts will have the chance to meet their favorite Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR) contestants up close and personal during a series of autograph sessions starting on Friday, December 6th. These sessions will feature contestants representing the seven rodeo events, running from noon to 2 p.m., and are open to all rodeo fans at no cost.

Celebrating its 35th year in Las Vegas, the Wrangler NFR begins on December 5th and extends for ten consecutive days. This premier event showcases the top 15 PRCA contestants in categories such as bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping, saddle bronc riding, tie-down roping, bull riding, and barrel racing.

The schedule for autograph sessions is as follows:

• Friday, Dec. 6: Barrel Racers at the Golden Nugget (The Grand Foyer)
• Saturday, Dec. 7: Tie-Down Ropers at the MGM Grand (Main Lobby)
• Monday, Dec. 9: Team Ropers at Cowboy Christmas (NFR Central)
• Tuesday, Dec. 10: Steer Wrestlers at Cowboy Christmas (NFR Central)
• Wednesday, Dec. 11: Bull Riders at Treasure Island (Gilley’s Saloon)
• Thursday, Dec. 12: Bareback Riders at New York-New York (Brooklyn Bridge)
• Friday, Dec. 13: Saddle Bronc Riders at Harrah’s (Toby Keith’s I Love this Bar & Grill)

The Wrangler NFR, which has sold out for more than 300 consecutive performances, is held annually in December at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. Under the contract with the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, extending through 2024, the purse for the 2019 event is $10 million, with qualification based on the 2018 PRCA World Standings.

For additional 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.

When rodeo fans arrive at the Thomas & Mack Center for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, they will have multiple entertainment options to enjoy prior to and following each rodeo performance. Known as the richest and most prestigious rodeo in the world, the Wrangler NFR runs from Thursday, Dec. 5 through Saturday, Dec. 14.

For ease of travel, rodeo fans have the option of utilizing the complimentary NFR Express Shuttle Bus service from 24 sponsor hotel properties and Cowboy Christmas. Upon arrival, fans will be greeted with rodeo-themed areas extending both outside the arena and within the confines of the building.

On the outer grounds of the Thomas & Mack Center, the ProRodeo Zone will greet fans with PRCA sponsor-activation tents and live music. As fans move toward the entrance, they will pass through the NFR Fan Zone, an area that includes additional sponsor tents, the official PRCA and Wrangler NFR merchandise trailer, food and beverage options, video screens and tables for attendees to congregate.

Further enhancing the fan experience, two outdoor video boards on the face of the arena will broadcast Wrangler NFR moments, highlight videos, interactive content and contestant interviews.

When rodeo fans enter the building, one of the arena’s highlights is the 36,000-square-foot hospitality area at the northwest end of the arena. During the Wrangler NFR, the space is known as The ‘Shoe and will feature interactive areas, a saloon, saddle displays and a 2,500-square-foot, glass-enclosed balcony with Strip views. The ‘Shoe will also be the site of CBS Sports Network’s rodeo pre-show. Access to The ‘Shoe is available to all fans with a Wrangler NFR ticket for that evening’s performance and also will feature the live broadcast of the rodeo each night, including a large-screen projection.

Meanwhile, on the arena’s southeast side opposite The ‘Shoe, fans can enjoy all the activities and amenities of the returning Cowboy Corral, which takes over the adjacent Cox Pavilion with live music, a huge bar and plenty of space to sit and relax or kick up your heels. The live entertainment will include Andy Griggs & D’em Boyz playing each night prior to the Wrangler NFR starting at 5:30 p.m. Following the NFR, the Cowboy Corral will stay jumping with performances by The Britt Stokes Band (Dec. 5-10) and Sean Curtis and the Divide (Dec. 11-14).

Adjacent to the Cowboy Corral entrance, Cowboy Channel will again host Rodeo Las Vegas, featuring Amy Wilson and Justin McKee.

Sitting right outside of Cowboy Corral is the Bull & Barrel Saloon, featuring its own bar and food service and the Hall of Champions with tributes to former NFR champions.

The entertainment will continue throughout the evening as fans begin to settle into their seats. Prior to each performance, there will be an opening act, followed by the singing of the National Anthem. The attention will then turn to the dirt, as the best contestants in the world test their skills and seek the coveted Gold Buckle, awarded to the world champions.

Known as the richest and most prestigious rodeo in the world, the Wrangler NFR attracts the Top 15 PRCA contestants in bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping, saddle bronc riding, tie-down roping and bull riding, plus barrel racing, to compete for a share of the $10 million purse and the coveted PRCA World Championship Gold Buckles. 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 www.NFRexperience.com or through social media at /LasVegasNFR and use #WranglerNFR. For the latest Pro Rodeo news and Wrangler NFR coverage, please visit prorodeo.com or through social media at @PRCA_ProRodeo.

Courtesy of NFRExperience.com