NWSS is back for 2022! After it was canceled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo is opening its doors this week, but the iconic kickoff parade will not be part of the festivities.
The 16-day event Jan. 8 through Jan. 23 at the National Western Complex typically attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors and includes rodeos, horse shows, mutton bustin’ and many other things to do.
| Venue | National Western Complex |
| Date | Jan 8th – 23rd, 2022 |
| Sanction | PRCA |
| Broadcast | The Cowboy Channel, CowboyChannelPlus |
The Stock Show, now in its 116th year, is a nationally recognized Western heritage and entertainment event with one of the world’s richest regular season professional rodeos, one of the country’s largest horse shows and Colorado’s largest agricultural trade show. Here’s how to watch the National Western Stock Show & Rodeo 2022 anywhere in the world.
Contents
When is the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo 2022?
The rodeo is held annually in January and bring fans and athletes from around the world to Denver. After it was canceled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, The National Western Stock Show and Rodeo will be held on Saturday, January 8th – Sunday, January 23rd, 2022.
Where is the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo 2022 held?
The National Western Stock Show and Rodeo is held in Denver, Colorado at the National Western Complex. After the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered last year event for the first time in its history, the NWSS will return for 2022.
Schedule of Events
Held every January at the National Western Complex , it’s the nation’s premier livestock, rodeo, and horse show, serving agricultural producers and consumers throughout the world. Enjoy rodeos featuring top-notch bull riders, horse shows, livestock competitions and auctions. And don’t miss acres of shopping at Colorado’s largest Western trade show. The full schedule events can be found here.
What TV Channel will the National Western Stock Show & Rodeo be on?
The Cowboy Channel is the official media partner for the PRCA. Because this is an exclusive deal between the network and the PRCA, the National Western Stock Show & Rodeo will not be shown on any other TV network during the 16-day period.
How to watch NWSS 2022 ?
Here’s how to watch the 2022 National Western Stock Show & Rodeo, if you don’t have cable or don’t have a cable log-in, here are some different ways you can still watch a live stream of NWSS.
The Cowboys Channel
The ultimate annual rodeo event will now be seen by millions of people live simultaneously on two national TV networks. Also included in the deal is a wide variety of other PRCA programming, including expanded live coverage of the PRORODEO TOUR and the PRCA’s Xtreme Bulls Tour events which will result in a huge increase in the amount, availability and quality of PRCA PRORODEO coverage on The Cowboy Channel here. The Cowboy Channel now available on Dish Network-232, Direct TV-603, Cox-260 anytime, and anywhere. You can enjoy Rural Media on these platforms:
- AT&T (Channel 568 & 1568)
- Charter Spectrum
- Comcast
- Cox
- DIRECTV (Channel 345)
- DIRECTV NOW
- DISH (Channel 231)
- Mediacom
- Sling TV’s Heartland Package
- Suddenlink
To find out if RFD-TV and The Cowboy Channel are available in your area, please click here and enter your zip code also choose your Pay TV provider.
PRCA on The Cowboy Channel+ App
The PRCA on The Cowboy Channel+ App will keep fans up-to-date with their favorite PRCA rodeos and athletes, as well as provide behind-the-scenes access to NWSS livestreamed and on demand PRCA rodeo events from around the country. The content can be accessed via the mobile app (available on Android and iOS), as well as any browser, smart TV or device. Viewers will be able to enjoy free access to up-to-the-minute news, bios, rodeos and highlights. Those with a subscription will unlock premium content such as up to six simultaneous live rodeo feeds, classic PRCA archived rodeos, The Cowboy Channel video-on-demand programming, and the only place viewers can stream the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo. The Cowboy Channel+ is available for only $9.99 a month or save up to 25% and purchase the whole year for $89.99. To sign up for the PRCA on The Cowboy Channel+ App, visit www.cowboychannelplus.com.
Sling TV
Sling TV includes Cowboy Channel as part of their Sling Orange Heartland Extra package for $41 a month.
Sling TV has 30 channels as part of their plan, including A&E, AMC, BET, Bravo, Cartoon Network, CNN, Comedy Central, Discovery, Disney Channel, E!, ESPN, Food Network, Fox News, Freeform, FX, HGTV, History, Investigation Discovery, Lifetime, MSNBC, Syfy, TBS, TLC, TNT, Travel Channel, truTV, and USA Network.
This is the full Sling TV Channel List.
Every Sling TV subscriber can record to their 10 hours Cloud DVR, while 3 users can stream at the same time.
Supported platforms
Sling TV supports a wide-range of devices to stream including Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, Roku, iPhone/iPad, Web Browsers, Android Phone/Tablet, Android TV, Xbox, Samsung Smart TV, LG Smart TV, and VIZIO Smart TV. Sling TV is not available to stream on PlayStation and Nintendo.
Stock Show tickets
A grounds admission ticket gives you access to everything at the Stock Show except for rodeos and other special events, which require a separate ticket.
Grounds admission includes access to the Yards, the Coors Western Art gallery, hundreds of Western vendors selling wares and food, and events like horse shows, stock dog competitions and mutton bustin’.
The cost of the tickets depends on the day of the week:
- $17-$25 for adults 12+
- $4-5 for children 3-11
- Free for children 2 and under
A guest badge that’s good for grounds admission for all 16 days costs $70.
There will be one free day for ground admissions on Jan. 11.
Tickets are available to buy online or in-person.
Special events that require separate tickets are:
- Colorado vs. the World Rodeo – Saturday, Jan. 8
- Invitational Ranch Rodeo – Saturday, Jan. 8
- Mexican Rodeo Extravaganza – Sunday, Jan. 9
- Freestyle Reining – Sunday, Jan. 9
- Bull Riding – Monday, Jan. 10; Tuesday, Jan. 11, and Wednesday, Jan. 12
- Pro Rodeos – Thursday, Jan. 13; Friday, Jan. 14; Saturday, Jan. 15; Sunday, Jan. 16; Monday, Jan. 17; Tuesday, Jan. 18; Wednesday, Jan. 19; Thursday, Jan. 20; Friday, Jan. 21; Saturday, Jan. 22, and Sunday, Jan. 23
- Gambler’s Choice Jumper Stake – Friday, Jan. 14
- Wild West Shows – Saturday, Jan. 15, and Sunday, Jan. 16
- Xtreme Dogs Shows – Monday, Jan. 17, and Tuesday, Jan. 18
- MLK Jr. African-American Heritage Rodeo – Monday, Jan. 17
- Grand Prix – Monday, Jan. 17
- Evening of Dancing Horses – Wednesday, Jan. 19, and Thursday, Jan. 20
- Draft Horse, Mule & Donkey Shows – Friday, Jan. 21, and Saturday, Jan. 22
How to get there and park
The National Western Complex is bordered by Interstate 70 to the south, Brighton Boulevard to the east and National Western Drive to the west.
Parking near the Stock Show grounds is available on a first-come first-served basis and fills early. All the free lots on the map below are highlighted in yellow.
The Stock Show is encouraging visitors to park at the Coors Field lots and take free shuttles to the grounds.
Free shuttles service will run every 10 minutes from the South Box Office to lots F, O, DPS near the Stock Show grounds and to Coors Field.
There will be a rideshare drop-off at the front of the Denver Coliseum.
Another option is the RTD Lightrail N-Line that runs with a stop at the National Western Center.
For more on parking, click here.
COVID-19 rules and other policies
The Stock Stock follows City of Denver guidelines in regards to COVID-19. That means visitors and participants must wear a mask in indoor spaces. The mask order doesn’t apply to outdoor areas or to anyone who’s actively eating and drinking.
Proof of vaccination will not be required.
The NWSS website says: “CDPHE and CDC strongly recommend that all people wear a mask in public. Vaccination is the best protection against COVID-19.”
Other things to know:
- Outside food and drink aren’t allowed, and neither are coolers. Exceptions are made for babies and those with medical conditions.
- No animals other than those being exhibited are allowed, with the exception of service animals.
- Wheelchairs are available free of charge of a first-come, first-served basis and can be checked out at the information booth above the south lobby of the Expo Hall.
- A family restroom and “nursing shed” are on the third-floor Kids Zone.
Where to go, what to do
Here’s where to go for various attractions and events:
- NW Complex Building: Box office, Expo Hall, Hall of Education, Stadium Arena, NW Club, Beef Palace Auction Arena, Junior Barnes
- Events Center: Box office, Cinch Arena, paddock, horse barns
- Coliseum: Rodeo arena, main level concourses
- Yards and Stockyards Event Center: Livestock pens, stock dog show
The horse and livestock shows start at 7 a.m. daily.
Trade show times are:
- 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday – Thursday
- 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday
Here are a few of the highlights:
Junior Livestock Auction: Thousands of junior market animals compete each year, but only 96 qualify for the Auction of Junior Livestock Champions. 9NEWS broadcasts the live auction of the Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion animals, where winning bids have reached as high as $150,000.
Ames Activity Pavilion: This is in the white tent outside, near the South Food Court. Enjoy family-friendly events and show like Old West Cowboy Antics, Folkloric Dancers, Sheep Shearing and a Stick Horse Rodeo.
Coors Western Art Gallery: On the third floor, this gallery celebrates Colorado’s Western heritage and is open each day from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Net proceeds benefit the National Western Scholarship Trust.
Petting Farm: On the third floor, kids will love interacting with more than 60 barnyard animals, and it’s free.
Shopping and food: More than 300 vendors sell a variety of products at the NW Complex Building (three levels of shopping and dining), the Events Center and the Coliseum. For more on the vendors and floor plans, click here.
Colorado Fiddle Championships: Jan. 8-9 at the Beef Palace Auction Arena.
Mutton Bustin’: This is one of the NWSS’ most popular events and features children ages 5 to 7 and under 55 pounds riding sheep out a shoot and into the arena. Mutton Bustin’ happens during many of the rodeo performances and also on Jan. 16 and 18 in the Stadium Arena.
National Western Stock Show Parade
The Kick-Off Parade that was scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 6 was canceled due to weather, according to Paul Andrews, NWSS CEO and president.
The parade and cattle drive through the streets of downtown Denver was to begin at noon Thursday at Union Station before marching 12 blocks down 17th Street to Glenarm Place.
The Denver metro area was expected to receive 1 to 4 inches of snow beginning Wednesday evening, with a temperature of about zero Thursday morning. Parade organizers canceled the parade over concerns of snow, wind and icy conditions on 17th Street.
The Stock Show Fair, scheduled for Thursday at McGregor Square, was also canceled.
About
The National Western Stock Show (NWSS) is a 501(c) (3) charitable organization that provides college and graduate-level scholarships in agriculture and medicine for practice in rural areas. It is our mission to serve producers and consumers throughout the world by being the premier stock show and nationally recognized western heritage and entertainment event. The NWSS is one of Colorado’s preeminent tourist destinations and is held each January for 16 days. The annual event is considered the Super Bowl of livestock shows, as it hosts nearly 20 breeds of cattle throughout the 16-day run. The event includes one of the world’s richest regular-season professional rodeos, world-class equestrian shows and Colorado’s largest agricultural trade show – attracting more than 660,000 guests each year. The Stock Show welcomes attendees from 45 states and 30 countries demonstrating not only national but international influences in agribusiness and western heritage. The Stock Show’s annual economic impact for the City & County of Denver and nearby communities exceeds $100M annually.
For more information visit: http://www.nationalwestern.com/