"The Wildest, Richest Rodeo in the West is celebrating 100 years! Everyone loves a cowboy, are we right?! The rodeo is THE place to see and be seen. Featuring 10 days and nights of the best rodeo competition in the country with over 750 professional athletes. Enjoy all of the fan favorites, including two world-class team roping events, professional bull riding, team roping, steer wrestling, barrel racing and bronc riding. The exciting Western action also features an authentic cattle drive, parade, Extreme Mustang Makeover, Double R Marketplace for Western shopping, food, carnival and the wildly popular Mutton Bustin’."

Jan & Chris cowboyed up and join us in all the Yeehawing.


Each night, of the ten day event, has a different theme. Tonight's was Patriot Night. I was surprised that it was also a history lesson, especially when the California Rangers Cavalry came in the arena. This group was formed during WWII and is based on a cavalry regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War. How totally cool is that!?

We were in the best seats to see the Bronc Riding. What an exhilarating 8 seconds of cowboy fun.

Steve was good at supporting one of the many sponsors keeping rodeo alive!




Pony wrestling was worth the price of admission. Hysterical.

We picked tonight as our inaugural attendance because of the fact that the Pony Express was there with riders carrying letters into the Rodeo arena which are to be delivered to the Veterans Coalition. Those letters will later be given to veterans throughout the region. Between Jan and myself, we wrote 36 letters to help fill the mochila. What a neat thing it was to see the rider do the mochila exchange, right there in the arena like it was 1860.


Of course Jan is friends with one of these amazing Pony Express riders.
Who knew Mutton Bustin' was a real thing? There would have been more photos of more events but I was warned that my camera was not allowed in the arena. The following were non-competition events worth documenting.




When this event started, everyone in the audience, except us, knew what was happening. Businessmen were running around trying to tie a yellow ribbon on the steer's tail. The team who decorated it the fastest won the round! It looked like chaos... fun chaos.
The night ended emotionally, as 52 riders came into the arena with a flag adorned with a star. Each represented a Nevada military hero who was killed in the line of duty since 9/11. On the big screen, their faces, age and rank were shared with us all. So powerful and emotional.
What a diverse and unique evening. Steve and I are already planning to go next year. Yeehaw!