News & Updates

“Junior NFR” inside the Wrangler Rodeo Arena at “Cowboy Christmas” Set to Run for Ten Straight Days of Competition Dec. 5 – 14

Junior World Finals inside the Wrangler Rodeo Arena at Cowboy Christmas Set to Run for Ten Straight Days of Competition

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.NFRupdates.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.

Source: www.NFRexperience.com