The National Finals Rodeo (NFR) 2020

The National Finals Rodeo (NFR) was established in 1958 and is today a championship event featuring some of the best from all over the country. It’s held every year by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) and judges cowboys and cowgirls in 7 main events, six of which include calf roping, steer wrestling, saddle bronc riding, bull riding, team roping and bareback bronc riding. The seventh event, the steer roping competition, is held separately. The top 15 money winners in each of these 7 events during the National Finals Rodeo season are invited to compete against each other for the world title. Anyone wishing to go to this prestigious event can purchase National Finals Rodeo discount tickets if they order them well enough in advance.

Indeed, the Nationals Finals Rodeo 2020, for many a professional rodeo cowboy and cowgirl, is the pinnacle of the sport. It’s a 10 -day action-packed spectacular, with the 15 contestants from each rodeo event, seasoned professionals all, going head-to-head for the title of “World Champion” . Held in Las Vegas, Nevada, the National Finals brings hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the country, and the world, to cheer their top Rodeo contestants in what some call one of the most exciting sports that America has to offer. It’s a long road to the National Finals Rodeo. Be sure to get your NFR tickets early.

Las Vegas Rodeo

The 15 contestants who are given an invitation to the National Finals Rodeo are the absolute best in the sport and have the highest earnings for that particular NFR rodeo season. Their season actually begins in October and has a cutoff in September of the following year, between which dates the competitors try to ride in as many rodeos as they possibly can throughout the country. In the National Finals Rodeo, bull riding combined with all of the other events means that it’s definitely a full-time job for anyone who wishes to be invited.

In their valiant efforts to make it to the top 15, these athletes put their heart and soul into every single rodeo performance they make. In order to secure a spot in the nationals, a cowboy will enter as many events as possible and try to win as much prize money as possible in the time allowed. Incredibly, there are some contestants that enter 2 or 3 rodeos every week in order to win a possible spot in the top 15 at NFR.

If you’re not much into traveling, the Rodeo lifestyle wouldn’t be for you as traveling is pretty much mandatory. You’ll often see cowboys and cowgirls teaming up together to make the traveling a little bit easier, taking shifts behind the wheel to make it to the next rodeo safely, gear and animals in tow. “Rough stock riders”, since they ride different animals from location to location, have it a little easier as they don’t need to pull livestock, horses or bulls everywhere they go but instead can fly from destination to destination, cutting down greatly on the time they spend on the road.

Making it to the National Finals Rodeo 2020 means that a competitor will be on the road almost every day of the entire year. Indeed, to make it to the top in this sport you definitely can’t sit still or, for that matter, even take a few weeks break. National Finals Rodeo tickets (actually invitations) are not given out freely to competitors and every year there are thousands of hard-working cowboys and cowgirls who, despite their efforts, don’t make it to the event. The top 15 that do make it to the Rodeo are some of the best in the world and what they do and, like many other professional athletes, are quite gifted. Keep in mind that this is a sport that boasts over 10 times the amount of paid athletes as American football or American baseball. The National Finals Rodeo, Las Vegas has actually become so big and so popular that it’s acquired the nickname “The Super Bowl Of Rodeo”. The Spectacular Structure Of the National Finals Rodeo

NFR Tickets

As anyone who has been there can tell you, getting National Finals Rodeo tickets is difficult so you should do it ahead of time. The reason is that the National Finals Rodeo is one of the most exciting rodeos in the world. Why? Because of the fact that, over 10 consecutive nights, they don’t just have one Rodeo they actually have 10 complete and individual rodeos, with winners in every category, every single night!

What that means for the contestants is that each of the top 15 , all of whom are entered into the 7 major events every night, will have one chance, or run, per night to show their skills. One chance to do their best and score the highest.

At the end of the ten-day rodeo the total amount of money that each contestant won during their 10 events ( 1 per night) is added to the total amount they had for the season when they came in to the event.

There is also a competition to win the “average” every night and the extra money that it brings. This average is the number that, at the end of every night, is tallied to get the average (duh) of all of the particular competitors runs up until that point. Every night there’s a winner, and it’s the person with the highest average point total. The cowboy that has the highest average point total and the most successful runs in the “rough stock” events is also awarded bonus. The lowest average time is what the competitors in the timed events are looking for on all of their completed runs.

Winning the average is something that can have a huge effect on the leaderboard. There have been several times when a cowboy who seemed to be out of the running came from behind and won the championship, all because of consistently winning the average over the 10 day event. During the event the leaderboard is changing constantly because of the average as well, a testament to its importance.

NFR Schedule 2020

How to take in everything at the National Finals Rodeo.

The National Finals Rodeo 2020 schedule starts at the beginning of December every year as glittery Las Vegas transforms itself into “Rodeo Central” for 10 days. Everywhere you look there are huge marquees featuring not only the names of famous celebrities but also famous cowboys and cowgirls, all of them flocking to Sin City to enjoy a big Western hoedown. During the 10 day event various entertainers host special National Finals Rodeo concerts across the entire city while tourists keep their eyes peeled for a celebrity sighting.

Home to the National Finals Rodeo since 1985, thousands of fans flock to The Thomas and Mack Center every night for 10 nights of Rodeo excitement in a row. Inside the stadium itself the mood in the air is electric and contestants, as well as spectators, can feel it. These are some of the best cowboys and cowgirls in the entire world and, over the next 10 nights, they are going to be competing for the ultimate glory, the title of “World Champion”.

Throughout the center you’ll find hundreds of vendors selling a wide variety of goods including everything from some of the best cowboy boots in the country to little toy stick horses for rodeo fans who can’t quite ride yet. An incredible variety of food is sure to be found at the National Finals Rodeo 2020 as food vendors offer everything from small snacks to complete meals and of course plenty of cold beer. It’s a full sensory experience to be sure, as the earthy musk of giant beasts wafts into the stands and mixes with the smell from the food vendors while the rumble of hundreds of groups can be felt throughout the place.

Rodeo Las Vegas

As for the National Finals Rodeo history, the first event was, unsurprisingly, held in the city of Dallas in 1959 and stayed there through 1961. From 1960 to 1964 the event and the competitions were hosted in Los Angeles and, in 1964, Oklahoma City was given the chance to be the host. They held their first Nationals in the State Fair Arena and hosted over 47,000 fans. The State Fair Arena did a fine job of hosting all the way through to 1978, after which it was moved to the Myriad Convention Center. If you are wondering why so many of these states would want to host the Nationals, consider that, for Oklahoma City, the event brings in an annual revenue of close to $8 million. That’s an awful lot of money for a 10 day show.

Even though the Oklahoma City Council was considering a new $30 million arena, Las Vegas put in their bid for the event in 1984 and won the rights to bring the National Finals Rodeo to their fine city. Since then the home of the NFR has been Thomas & Mack Center and today its their biggest client. During the 10 day event the Center hosts over 170,000 fans and helps to turn Las Vegas into a city full of Western folk, and their beasts of burden, at least for a couple of weeks.

Wrangler, in a landmark sponsorship agreement with the National Finals Rodeo, became their very first sponsor of the National Finals Rodeo Las Vegas in 2001. Brokered by the efforts of PRCA Commissioner Stephen J. Hatchell, the agreement was part of an effort by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association to elevate the sport to a new, professional level. If you’re keen on getting them for next year, Wrangler National Finals Rodeo tickets can be purchased on a number of online ticket sites.

Although Oklahoma City has put in various bids to have the Nationals moved back, every year they are outbid by Las Vegas (and their very deep pockets). In 2011 they did become the host city of the RNCFR, which is the PRCA’s Finals and their semi-pro series. The current contract that Las Vegas has with NFR ended in 2013 and hosting the RNCFR is seen as a way for Oklahoma to prove that the crowds do exist to bring the event back to their city once that happens.

NFR Concerts

During the National Finals Rodeo, concerts are held by some of the biggest names in country music. Although not all of them are affiliated with the National Finals Rodeo, it’s the main reason that many country groups are to be found during the event. Getting National Finals Rodeo concert tickets in advance is a good idea because, as you might guess, they can sometimes sell out buckin' fast.

The Cowboy Christmas Gift Show

Still, one of the most popular destinations, at least for shoppers, is the longest-running gift show at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, the Cowboy Christmas Gift Show. This is actually the only “original” to show at the event and is located in the North Halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center. Hosting 400+ vendors from all over the United States and Canada, the Cowboy Christmas Gift Show is spread out over 300,000 square feet of the convention center’s space and features a huge variety of unique products, from customized jewelry to cowboy boots and spurs (of course), original art, furniture, Western wear, pottery and many other handmade crafts. Since the actual rodeo portion of the event is held at night, visitors and shoppers from all over the world are able to take it vantage of the Show during today without missing any of the intense National Finals Rodeo action.

2020 NFR Dates

Of course since Wrangler is the official sponsor it’s one of the best sources to get Official Wrangler National Finals Rodeo tickets and gear as well as other PRCA merchandise. One of the best things about going to the show is that, when you’re done, there’s free shuttle service right to Thomas & Mack Center every night of the 10 day Rodeo Event. When you’re checking for the National Finals Rodeo 2013 schedule or you’re looking to purchase National Finals Rodeo tickets, make sure to pencil in the Cowboy Christmas Gift Show too.

The National Finals Rodeo 2020 is coming soon and, if you’re keen on going to a National Finals Rodeo concert, you need National Finals Rodeo tickets or you’re going to be in Las Vegas in December, make sure to start booking your tickets now as well as anything else you might need while you’re in lovely Las Vegas for this truly spectacular 10 day rodeo event. Check this website for National Finals Rodeo dates.