The world’s largest outdoor rodeo is just 90 minutes north of Denver in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and well worth the road trip whether you are a newcomer to the sport or a veteran fan. Bring your family or bring a date, but put on your cowboy boots and head up to Cheyenne Frontier Days through Sunday, July 26, 2009.
Since 1897, Cheyenne Frontier Days has been at the heart of the cowboy way of life, always the last full week of July, and this year the western festival celebrates their 113th year. Recognized as one of the greatest celebration of western spirit, Cheyenne welcomes rodeo fans with big name cowboys; country music lovers with entertainers ranging from George Strait to this weekends back-to-back performances with Kenny Chesney; western enthusiasts with shows including the popular Indian Village; and fun-seekers from all over the world.
Cheyenne Frontier Days (CFD) is almost entirely staffed by volunteers. CFD is always an important stop for big-name cowboys, so your family will get to see the best of the best competing. Your Old West experience can include carriages that roll past in the parades on Central, downtown’s pancake breakfasts, western art shows, Native American arts and culture, and night concerts.
This weekend will be jam-packed with activities, including the finals rodeo event, and welcomes approximately 400,000 visitors from all over the world. If past figures hold true, this year all 50 states, plus Japan, Korea, Australia, Canada, England, France, Germany and Austria will be represented.
Events not to miss:
· You can still catch the 90 minute Grand Parade this week: Thursday, July 23 and Saturday, July 25 at 9:30 am. Find your seat early!
· Go early and enjoy a free pancake breakfast with 10,000 of your friends at the Depot Plaza in downtown Cheyenne, Friday 7:00 – 9:00 am.
· Rodeo performances every day! Although Saturday and Sunday’s performances are usually sold out, check out “Family Days at the Rodeo – Kids Get in Free” through Friday, July 25. tickets available online at www.cfdrodeo.com, King Soopers or on the CFD rodeo grounds.
· Or enjoy a timed event slack (rodeo) for free Friday & Saturday, July 24-25 at 7:00am in Frontier Parka arena. You’ll see some of the rodeo’s best athletes compete in roping, barrel racing and steer wrestling.
· Behind the Chutes Tours are also free and give you a chance to get your boots in the arena dirt. Meet at the CFD Old West Museum entrance and enjoy a behind-the-scnes look at CFD, including a trip behind the chutes. Check online for times.
· If you can’t make it to the rodeo, you can still enjoy the rodeo grounds and the rides on the Carnival Midway.
· Two must see stops are the Indian Village and the Old West Museum, both located in Frontier Park. The Indian Village is open 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m with dance shows and storyteller performances throughout the day, click here for performance times. Located in the northwest of the park, Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum features displays that capture Cheyenne's pioneer experience from the adveneture of rodeo to the American West,and is open seven days a week.
The western town of Cheyenne is always friendly, welcoming and helpful and the Cheyenne Frontier Day’s rodeo is perfect, convenient family vacation for Coloradoans, whether you spend one day or several.
For more information:
Cheyenne Visitors Bureau 800-426-5009
Cheyenne Frontier Days Ticket Office 800-227-6336 (in Cheyenne 778-7222)or online at
Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo
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Comments
Rodeo is an anachronism which belongs in the dustbin of history. Most of rodeo is bogus from the get-go: it's all hype to put fannies in the seats (read: $$$). Real cowboys never routinely rode bulls, or wrestled steers, or rode bareback, or practiced calf roping (babies!) as a timed event, or put flank straps/ropes on the animals (without which most would not buck).
Imagine the public outcry were the cowboys to mistreat pet dogs the way they do the roping calves. A few years back the PRCA renamed the event "tie down roping," a disingenuous attempt to deflect public criticism of the abuse. Can you spell "hypocrisy"?
Reportedly, at least one bucking horse and several roping calves have been killed at the CFD rodeo so far this week. And four animals died at the Calgary Stampede earlier this month. For most of the animals, rodeo is merely a detour en route to the slaughterhouse. They (and we) deserve better.
Boycott all rodeos.
x
Eric Mills, coordinator
ACTION FOR ANIM
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