Cheyenne Frontier Days is an outdoor

rodeo Rodeo () is a competitive equestrian sport that arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain and Mexico, expanding throughout the Americas and to other nations. It was originally based on the skills required of the working va ...

and

western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

celebration in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

, held annually since 1897 in

Cheyenne The Cheyenne ( ) are an Indigenous people of the Great Plains. Their Cheyenne language belongs to the Algonquian language family. Today, the Cheyenne people are split into two federally recognized nations: the Southern Cheyenne, who are enroll ...

Wyoming Wyoming () is a U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho to the west, Utah to the south ...

. It bills itself as the "World's Largest Outdoor Rodeo and Western Celebration." The event, claimed to be one of the largest of its kind in the world, draws nearly 200,000 annually. Lodging fills up quickly during the peak tourist season throughout southern and eastern Wyoming, into northern

Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of t ...

and western

Nebraska Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the southwe ...

. The celebration is held during the ten days centered about the last full week of July. In 2008, Cheyenne Frontier Days was inducted into the

ProRodeo Hall of Fame The ProRodeo Hall of Fame and Museum of the American Cowboy was opened in August 1979 as a museum designed to "preserve the legacy of the cowboy contests, the heritage and culture of those original competitions, and the champions of the past, pr ...

Background

The rodeo draws visitors from different parts of the United States as well as internationally. These visitors generally stay in

hotel A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. Facilities provided inside a hotel room may range from a modest-quality mattress in a small room to large suites with bigger, higher-quality beds, a dresser, a ref ...

motel A motel, also known as a motor hotel, motor inn or motor lodge, is a hotel designed for motorists, usually having each room entered directly from the parking area for motor vehicles rather than through a central lobby. Entering dictionaries ...

s, or in

recreational vehicle A recreational vehicle, often abbreviated as RV, is a motor vehicle or trailer that includes living quarters designed for accommodation. Types of RVs include motorhomes, campervans, coaches, caravans (also known as travel trailers and camper ...

s. High temperatures around and fair weather are normal for the time of year when this event is held; the

elevation The elevation of a geographic location is its height above or below a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface (see Geodetic datum § Vert ...

is approximately above

sea level Mean sea level (MSL, often shortened to sea level) is an average surface level of one or more among Earth's coastal bodies of water from which heights such as elevation may be measured. The global MSL is a type of vertical datuma standardised g ...

Cowboy A cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the '' vaquer ...

style bars and

country and western A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, while the ...

themed establishments scattered throughout the city of Cheyenne are popular with many rodeo fans and participants, and they file in with large numbers after the night shows.

Overview

Prior to the annual kickoff of Cheyenne Frontier Days on a Friday, the annual Cattle Drive is held on the preceding Sunday morning. This event, which attracts considerable attention, is inspired by the cattle drives of the Old West. In 2013, 447 steers, herded by mounted cowboys, walked three miles from Hynds Boulevard into Frontier Park. In 2015, 550 steers walked this route. It starts from a pasture north of the city and runs along Interstate 25, south and then through the city streets aforementioned into the park. Cheyenne Frontier Days has a full-time staff of 18 people year round, and an estimated 3,000 volunteers, of whom a small number are paid. There is preparation before the event and cleanup after the event as well as all of the work that needs performed during the actual event.

Rodeo

PRCA Rodeo

In 2014, Cheyenne Frontier Days received the

Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) is the largest rodeo organization in the world. It sanctions events in the United States and Canada, with members from said countries, as well as others. Its championship event is the National ...

(PRCA) Large Outdoor Rodeo of the Year award for the 16th total and 11th consecutive time. Frontier Days runs nine days with more sections of bull riding, saddle and bareback bronc riding than any other rodeo. The rodeo is also known for its large number of participants. All events are performed each day. The rodeo draws many of the sport's top competitors due to its more than $1 million in cash and prizes available. Frontier Days delivers three types of competition: roughstock events, timed events, and racing on the track. Roughstock events include

bull riding Bull riding is a rodeo sport that involves a rider getting on a bucking bull and attempting to stay mounted while the animal tries to buck off the rider. American bull riding has been called "the most dangerous eight seconds in sports." To recei ...

bareback bronc riding Bronc riding, either bareback bronc or saddle bronc competition, is a rodeo event that involves a rodeo participant riding a bucking horse (sometimes called a ''bronc'' or ''bronco'') that attempts to throw or buck off the rider. Originally b ...

saddle bronc riding Bronc riding, either bareback bronc or saddle bronc competition, is a rodeo event that involves a rodeo participant riding a bucking horse (sometimes called a ''bronc'' or ''bronco'') that attempts to throw or buck off the rider. Originally b ...

, and rookie saddle bronc riding. Timed events include

steer wrestling Steer wrestling, also known as bulldogging, is a rodeo event in which a horse-mounted rider chases a steer, drops from the horse to the steer, then wrestles the steer to the ground by grabbing its horns and pulling it off-balance so that it falls ...

team roping Team roping also known as heading and heeling is a rodeo event that features a steer (typically a Corriente) and two mounted riders. The first roper is referred to as the "header", the person who ropes the front of the steer, usually around ...

tie-down roping Calf roping, also known as tie-down roping, is a rodeo event that features a calf and a rider mounted on a horse. The goal of this timed event is for the rider to catch the calf by throwing a loop of rope from a lariat around its neck, dismoun ...

, and women's

breakaway roping Breakaway roping is a variation of calf roping where a calf is roped, but not thrown and tied. It is a rodeo event that features a calf and one mounted rider. The calves are moved one at a time through narrow runs leading to a chute with spring ...

barrel racing Barrel racing is a rodeo event in which a horse and rider attempt to run a cloverleaf pattern around preset barrels in the fastest time. In collegiate and professional ranks, it is usually a women's event, though both sexes compete at amateur and ...

. Tie-down roping includes calf roping,

steer roping Steer roping, also known as steer tripping or steer jerking, is a rodeo event that features a steer and one mounted cowboy. Technique The steer roper starts behind a "barrier" - a taut rope fastened with an easily broken string which is fastene ...

, and senior steer roping. Some of the timed events are shown during slack. After all of the events are concluded, there is an all-around champion winner. There are also a few other select events which include saddle bronc futurity, trick riding, the wild horse race, and the dinner bell derby.

Timed event slack

Slack events are events that do not fit into the normal rodeo hours in the afternoon. Slack rodeo events are open to the public at no charge and usually take place in the early to mid morning hours. Slack events include calf roping, team roping, steer roping, barrel racing, breakaway roping and steer wrestling.

PBR Bull Riding

PBR Team Series

In 2022, Cheyenne was the first stop of the

Professional Bull Riders The Professional Bull Riders, Inc. (PBR) is an international professional bull riding organization based in Pueblo, Colorado, United States. In the U.S., PBR events have been televised on CBS and CBS Sports Network since 2012. In 2013, the ...

’ (PBR) new Team Series, where teams of bull riders from different parts of the United States ride against each other throughout the summer and autumn to culminate at the championship at

T-Mobile Arena T-Mobile Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena in Paradise, Nevada. Opened on April 6, 2016, it is the home arena of the Vegas Golden Knights of the National Hockey League (NHL). A joint venture between MGM Resorts International and Anschutz En ...

Las Vegas, Nevada Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...

. While most of the regular season event took place in the teams’ home cities, two “neutral site” events were included on the schedule, including Cheyenne.

Previous tours

PBR Challenger Tour/Touring Pro Division

The PBR’s first minor league tour, the Touring Pro Division, had an event at Cheyenne Frontier Days for several years. It started in 2001 and ran through 2010, until returning in 2018. The Touring Pro Division debuted in 1995 and was known as such until being renamed in 2000 as the Challenger Tour. It was known by said name throughout the entire decade of the 2000s before being changed back to its original title of the Touring Pro Division in 2010.

Championship Bull Riding

In 2011, the stand-alone bull riding event at Cheyenne Frontier Days became a regular-season event for

Championship Bull Riding Championship Bull Riding, Inc. (CBR) was a professional bull riding organization that was based in Weatherford, Texas, United States. History Stock contractor Terry Williams and Texas businessman Joel Logan founded Championship Bull Riding (CBR) ...

(CBR), then from 2012 to 2018, it was the World Finals event for said organization. In 2018, the annual two-day stand-alone bull riding event at Cheyenne Frontier Days was sanctioned by two different organizations: the first day was the PBR Touring Pro Division event, and the second day was the 2018 CBR World Finals. The latter competition, though a CBR event, was produced by the PBR, and CBR went out of business after its 2018 World Finals event had concluded.

PBR Premier Series

In 2019, the PBR brought the Unleash the Beast Premier Series’ Last Cowboy Standing event to Cheyenne. The event would have taken place in 2020, but was canceled, along with the entire Cheyenne Frontier Days festival because of

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei, identified in Wuhan, China, in December ...

restrictions. However, it all returned in 2021.

Events

Cheyenne Frontier Days features nightly concerts by popular music and comedy acts, a midway, a

fair A fair (archaic: faire or fayre) is a gathering of people for a variety of entertainment or commercial activities. Fairs are typically temporary with scheduled times lasting from an afternoon to several weeks. Types Variations of fairs incl ...

with

rides Amusement rides, sometimes called carnival rides, are mechanical devices or structures that move people especially kids to create fun and enjoyment. Rides are often perceived by many as being scary or more dangerous than they actually are. This ...

game A game is a structured form of play (activity), play, usually undertaken for enjoyment, entertainment or fun, and sometimes used as an educational tool. Many games are also considered to be work (such as professional players of spectator s ...

s, and food vendors,

wild west The American frontier, also known as the Old West or the Wild West, encompasses the geography, history, folklore, and culture associated with the forward wave of American expansion in mainland North America that began with European colonial ...

shows featuring Western riding, an

Indian Indian or Indians may refer to: Peoples South Asia * Indian people, people of Indian nationality, or people who have an Indian ancestor ** Non-resident Indian, a citizen of India who has temporarily emigrated to another country * South Asia ...

village, and a large PRCA nationally sanctioned

. A common moniker for the event is "The Daddy of 'em All®", based on its long history and the fact that the rodeo is billed as the largest such event in the world. The rodeo and the majority of the events are centered on the property of Frontier Park, but some of the events such as the pancake breakfasts are held in a different part of the city.

Pancake Breakfasts

Three free

pancake A pancake (or hotcake, griddlecake, or flapjack) is a flat cake, often thin and round, prepared from a Starch, starch-based batter (cooking), batter that may contain eggs, milk and butter and cooked on a hot surface such as a griddle or fryi ...

breakfasts are served each year which are sponsored by the local

Kiwanis Kiwanis International ( ) is an international service club founded in 1915 in Detroit, Michigan. It is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, and is found in more than 80 nations and geographic areas. Since 1987, the organizati ...

chapter. They are held every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday with close to 40,000 people taking advantage of this every year. The record for a daily breakfast is 39,111 people set in 1996. In one week, over 100,000 pancakes are served, along with over 3,000 pounds of

ham Ham is pork from a leg cut of pork, cut that has been food preservation, preserved by wet or dry Curing (food preservation), curing, with or without smoking (cooking), smoking."Bacon: Bacon and Ham Curing" in ''Chambers's Encyclopædia''. Lo ...

. This event was started in 1952 by the Cheyenne Frontier Committee. The food is cooked on military ranges. The event takes place at the historic Cheyenne Depot Square. There were none served in 2020.

Grand Parade

On the days in between the free pancake breakfasts, the city of Cheyenne hosts the Grand Parade in the morning. The parade starts at the

Wyoming State Capitol The Wyoming State Capitol is the state capitol and seat of government of the U.S. state of Wyoming. Built between 1886 and 1890, the capitol is located in Cheyenne and contains the chambers of the Wyoming State Legislature as well as the office ...

, goes down to the Cheyenne Depot Square, and then returns to the Wyoming State Capitol on an alternate street. Until 1925, with two exceptions, the Frontier Days parades were rowdy affairs. In 1926, upon request, Dazee Bristol created floats which are still in use today. The parade is now composed of floats, automobiles, horse-drawn antique carriages, riders in period dress, and top marching bands.

Indian Village

In 1898, shortly after the second Frontier Days occurred, the committee extended an invitation to Native American performers to participate in following Frontier Days. Since then, they have participated every year. One popular attraction is the Native American Village which is open throughout Frontier Days and is free. Historically, the visiting performers shifted their campground around until in the 1960s when the committee established a permanent campground, the "Indian Village." The Indian Village hosts authentic dancing, music, storytelling, and pow-wows. There are also exhibit booths and food vendors.

Behind the Chutes tour

Behind the Chutes tours are free. There are 1–3 tours every day of Frontier Days. The tour follows the same path that the bucking broncs and bulls take from the pens behind the arena. The tour shows where the livestock is kept and rounded up. Then the tour follows where livestock go through gates to the chutes. Then it is out into the arena and the tour is finished by walking across the arena. Depending on what time the tour is taken, there might be livestock in the pens.

Chuckwagon Cookoff

Authentic

chuckwagon A chuckwagon is a type of field kitchen covered wagon historically used for the storage and transportation of food and cooking equipment on the prairies of the United States and Canada. Such wagons formed part of a wagon train of settlers or fed ...

crews visit for a few days to demonstrate life on the Goodnight Trail, which was more than 100 years ago. Crews cook with standard ingredients; meals are judged and can also be tasted by the public. They are also judged on their wagon, tools, and campsite. The Championship Cookoff takes place on the last demonstration day. However, the champions do not get their buckles until the rodeo finals day.

Old Frontier Town

The Old Frontier Town (previously Wild Horse Gulch) is open every day of Frontier Days. It is free and is located between the Old West Museum and the Indian Village. There are merchants, guest characters, and/or craftspeople and artisans in some buildings.

Carnival Midway

On the Frontier Park itself, not far from the stadium, there is the carnival midway, a fair with games, rides, and food vendors. The carnival runs the entire length of Frontier Days. There are a number of different options for daily and season passes.

Buckin' A Saloon

This saloon is located on Frontier Park. The saloon is open from 11 a.m. until Midnight. This makes it available to anyone who is there for the rodeo and its events in the day. And then in the evening, there are nightly concert ticket giveaways, beer specials, bands, and the usual good time. It runs most nights of Frontier Days.

Fiesta Day

One day per year Frontier Days celebrates Fiesta Day. This is a day of Latino entertainment featuring folk dancers and other family events. Also included are concerts by famous

Regional Mexican Regional Mexican is a Latin music radio format encompassing the musical genres from the different parts of rural Mexico and the Southwestern United States. Genres include banda, country en español, Duranguense, grupero, mariachi, New Mexico ...

artists.

United States Air Force Thunderbirds

Another annual event is an air show featuring the

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...

Thunderbirds Air Demonstration Squadron, which takes place on Wednesday. The Thunderbirds made their public debut at Cheyenne Frontier Days in 1953 and have continued to perform regularly since then. The ground portion of this show along with static displays and flying of other aircraft takes place on the

Wyoming Air National Guard The Wyoming Air National Guard (WY ANG) is the aerial militia of the State of Wyoming, United States of America. It is, along with the Wyoming Army National Guard, an element of the Wyoming National Guard. As state militia units, the units in t ...

side of the

Cheyenne Regional Airport Cheyenne Regional Airport (Jerry Olson Field) is a civil-military airport a mile north of downtown Cheyenne, in Laramie County, Wyoming. It is owned by the Cheyenne Regional Airport Board. Cheyenne Regional Airport is the home of Cheyenne Air ...

. The Thunderbirds' main aerobatic display is performed over Francis E Warren Air Force Base.

Affiliated events

Old West Museum and Store

Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum The Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum is located in Cheyenne, Wyoming, United States. The museum was founded in 1978. It is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, dedicated to interpreting, conserving and exhibiting the history and material ...

is open all year round. There is a modest admission fee. It is located on Frontier Park. A statue of

bull rider Bull riding is a rodeo sport that involves a rider getting on a bucking bull and attempting to stay mounted while the animal tries to buck off the rider. American bull riding has been called "the most dangerous eight seconds in sports." To recei ...

rodeo icon

Lane Frost Lane Clyde Frost (October 12, 1963 – July 30, 1989) was an American professional rodeo cowboy who specialized in bull riding, and competed in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA). He was the 1987 PRCA World Champion bull ride ...

riding a

bull A bull is an intact (i.e., not castrated) adult male of the species ''Bos taurus'' (cattle). More muscular and aggressive than the females of the same species (i.e., cows), bulls have long been an important symbol in many religions, includin ...

stands near the entrance. There is an extensive exhibit of western carriages. There is also a permanent exhibit on the history of Cheyenne Frontier Days. During Frontier Days, there is also a Western Art Show and Sale in the museum. The museum also hosts the Cheyenne Frontier Days Hall of Fame for its rodeo. Inductees include legends such as Lane Frost, Chris LeDoux,

Johnny Cash John R. Cash (born J. R. Cash; February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003) was an American country singer-songwriter. Much of Cash's music contained themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, especially in the later stages of his ca ...

Charlie Daniels Charles Edward Daniels (October 28, 1936 – July 6, 2020) was an American singer, musician, and songwriter. His music fused rock, country, blues and jazz, pioneering Southern rock. He was best known for his number-one country hit "The Dev ...

Reba McEntire Reba Nell McEntire (born March 28, 1955), or simply Reba, is an American country music singer and actress. Dubbed " the Queen of Country", she has sold more than 75 million records worldwide. Since the 1970s, McEntire has placed over 100 single ...

George Strait George Harvey Strait Sr. (born May 18, 1952) is an American country music singer, songwriter, actor, and music producer. Strait is considered one of the most influential and popular recording artists of all time. In the 1980s, he was credited for ...

, and

Garth Brooks Troyal Garth Brooks (born February 7, 1962) is an American country music singer and songwriter. His integration of pop and rock elements into the country genre has earned him popularity, particularly in the United States with success on the co ...

Art Show and Sale

Circa 1980, the annual Western Art Show has been taking place in the Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum. To kick off the art show, a reception is held on the first day, which is usually also the opening day of Frontier Days. Top western and wildlife artists are featured using many different mediums. Those who register for the reception get many special benefits. First there is a buy-it-now option, which enables ticket holders to instantly purchase art at a premium. Then there is a live auction. Both of these enable ticket holders a chance to purchase art before it is made available to the general public. Tickets include art show admission, the Governor's Mansion reception, the official Western Art Show poster, the official show catalogue and a western dinner. After the special events are concluded, the general public is free to view and purchase art at the museum by paying the museum admission fee.

Fort D.A. Russell Days

F.E. Warren Air Force Base and Cheyenne have a long history together. The

U.S. Cavalry The United States Cavalry, or U.S. Cavalry, was the designation of the mounted force of the United States Army by an act of Congress on 3 August 1861.Price (1883) p. 103, 104 This act converted the U.S. Army's two regiments of dragoons, one r ...

founded Fort D.A. Russell, the precursor to the base, in 1867, the same year Cheyenne was founded. For a few days during Frontier Days, the base conducts tours and specials. There are historic home tours, military reenactments, and tours of missile systems. There are also other specials, demonstrations, and transportation. The base is located on the outskirts of Western Cheyenne off Interstate 25.

Cowboy Church

Cowboy Church is held the first and last Sunday of Frontier Days. Services are held in the B Stand. Location is subject to change. Some services are held non-denominational and everyone is welcome to attend. Some services are held for the cowboys, such as Fellowship of Christian Cowboys.

Wyoming National Guard Open House

One day during Frontier Days, the

Wyoming National Guard The Wyoming Military Department is part of the Government of Wyoming. Its primary components are the Wyoming Army National Guard, and the Wyoming Air National Guard. Leadership The Commander in Chief As of June 14, 2022, the current Commande ...

may open its doors to the public. This event does not occur every year. The open house features equipment displays of the National Guard and of the F.E. Warren Air Force Base. Sometimes the U.S. Navy Parachute Team, " The Leap Frogs," performs at the event. There are shuttle buses from Frontier Mall to the event. Valid IDs are required. Security enforcement is in place at the base.

History

* Cheyenne held its first Frontier Days celebration in 1897. It started as a cowboy roundup that took place for one day. *

Clayton Danks Clarence Clayton Danks (July 21, 1879 – June 23, 1970) was a three-time winner of Cheyenne Frontier Days, an outdoor rodeo and western celebration held each July in the Wyoming capital city of Cheyenne. He is believed to be the cowboy of th ...

, the winner of three Cheyenne Frontier Days competitions prior to 1910, is the model cowboy on the horse Steamboat on the Wyoming

trademark A trademark (also written trade mark or trade-mark) is a type of intellectual property consisting of a recognizable sign, design, or expression that identifies products or services from a particular source and distinguishes them from others ...

, the

Bucking Horse and Rider The Bucking Horse and Rider (BH&R) is a registered trademark of the U.S. state of Wyoming. In 1936, Wyoming trademarked the image for the state's license plates. However, the state's usage of the logo can be traced back to as early as 1918. Wyomi ...

. * From 1908 to 1970, an almost-annual train (skipped 1924, 1942–45) carried travelers between

Denver Union Station Denver Union Station is the main railway station and central transportation hub in Denver, Colorado. It is located at 17th and Wynkoop Streets in the present-day LoDo district and includes the historic station house, a modern open-air train shed, ...

Denver Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...

and the

Cheyenne Depot Museum The Cheyenne Depot Museum is a railroad museum in Cheyenne, Wyoming. It is located inside the historic Union Pacific Railroad depot, built in the 1880s. The depot, a National Historic Landmark, was the railroad's largest station west of Council B ...

. The final train in 1970 had 27 cars with 1,127 guests. * Revived in 1992 for the

Denver Post ''The Denver Post'' is a daily newspaper and website published in Denver, Colorado. As of June 2022, it has an average print circulation of 57,265. In 2016, its website received roughly six million monthly unique visitors generating more than 13 ...

's 100th anniversary, the "Centennial Special" used

Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak () , is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...

locomotives with

Ski Train The ''Winter Park Express'' is a passenger train operated by Amtrak on winter weekends between Denver Union Station and Winter Park Resort, Colorado. The scenic route uses the same line as the ''California Zephyr'', climbing into the Front R ...

coaches and carried almost 800 passengers, including Colorado Governor

Roy Romer Roy Rudolf Romer (born October 31, 1928) is an American politician who served as the List of governors of Colorado, 39th Governor of Colorado from 1987 to 1999, and subsequently as the Superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District, su ...

and Denver Mayor

Wellington Webb Wellington E. Webb (born February 17, 1941) is an American politician. He served in the Colorado House of Representatives and was the first African American mayor of Denver, Colorado, serving from 1991 to 2003. Early life and career The Webb fam ...

. * In 1994, the excursion train returned as an annual event. It typically consists of

Union Pacific 844 Union Pacific 844, also known as the "Living Legend", is a class " FEF-3" 4-8-4 " Northern" type steam locomotive owned and operated by the Union Pacific Railroad for its heritage fleet. Built in December 1944 by the American Locomotive Compan ...

, a

Union Pacific The Union Pacific Railroad , legally Union Pacific Railroad Company and often called simply Union Pacific, is a freight-hauling railroad that operates 8,300 locomotives over routes in 23 U.S. states west of Chicago and New Orleans. Union Paci ...

water car, a helper diesel engine, a tool car, and as many as 22 passenger coaches. After the renovation of the Denver Union Station resulted in a greatly shortened passenger platform, the train's been based at a site near the

Denver Coliseum Denver Coliseum is an indoor arena, owned by thCity and County of Denver operated by itsDenver Arts & Venuesand located in Denver, Colorado. The arena holds 10,200 people and was built from 1949 to 1951. The coliseum is located in Denver's Elyria ...

, where it's on display the day before. Tickets for the popular trip are available by lottery and proceeds benefit the Denver Post Community Foundation. * In 1996, Shirley E. Flynn of Cheyenne wrote a history of Cheyenne Frontier Days called ''Let's Go! Let's Show! Let's Rodeo! The History of Cheyenne Frontier Days''. The book declares that the celebration was a full success from the first year. * On December 4, 2014, Cheyenne Frontier Days won the 2014 PRCA Large Outdoor Rodeo of the Year for the 15th time and the 10th consecutive time at an award banquet last night in Las Vegas. Cheyenne Frontier Days has previously received the PRCA Large Outdoor Rodeo of the Year award in 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013. PRCA rodeo personnel vote on the finalists for this award. An award banquet is held during the

National Finals Rodeo The National Finals Rodeo (NFR) is the premier rodeo event by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA). The NFR showcases the talents of the PRCA's top 15 money-winners in the season for each event. The NFR is held each year in the fi ...

where the winner is announced. * In 2015, the concert lineup was considered to be their best ever, with the opening weekend featuring

Miranda Lambert Miranda Leigh Lambert (born November 10, 1983) is an American country singer and guitarist. Born in Longview, Texas, she started out in early 2001 when she released her self-titled debut album independently. In 2003, she finished in third place o ...

and

Big & Rich Big & Rich is an American country music duo composed of Big Kenny and John Rich, both of whom are songwriters, vocalists, and guitarists. Before the duo's foundation, Rich was bass guitarist in the country band Lonestar, while Kenny was a solo ...

. * In 2019, the Denver Post announced the end of the excursion, with the

Union Pacific Railroad The Union Pacific Railroad , legally Union Pacific Railroad Company and often called simply Union Pacific, is a freight-hauling railroad that operates 8,300 locomotives over routes in 23 U.S. states west of Chicago and New Orleans. Union Paci ...

's vintage fleet being a contributing factor. * The next year saw the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...

forcing officials to scrap the festival & rodeo, and defer to 2021.

References

Bibliography

External links

*
Cheyenne Frontier Days Art Show and Sale

Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA)

Professional Bull Riders, Inc.

NFR website

Denver Post Cheyenne Frontier Days Train
{{Authority control Rodeos 1897 establishments in the United States Cheyenne, Wyoming Tourism in Wyoming Cowboy culture Festivals in Wyoming Tourist attractions in Cheyenne, Wyoming Music of Wyoming Rodeo in the United States ProRodeo Hall of Fame inductees Recurring sporting events established in 1897