The 16th annual Salute to Team Wyoming Breakfast, part of the National Finals Rodeo, was held at Resorts World on Dec. 6. The NFR is the championship rodeo of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA), and was held at the Thomas & Mack Center Dec. 5-14.
Gov. Mark Gordon (R-WY), addressed the crowd from the podium. “I think it really speaks to what Wyoming is that this rodeo culture is so amazing. (It is international now that) we have New Zealand, Australia, Canada and Mexico.”
Nevada and Wyoming work together to promote tourism, especially with fans of rodeos and cowboy culture.
“I’ve been coming here for years, both as a fan and now as a U.S. senator, to support Wyoming cowboys and the rodeo,” said Sen. Cynthia M. Lummis (R-WY). “Tourism is Wyoming’s second largest industry, and the rodeo is a big part of it, so the state has taken a very aggressive position to support its rodeos, both at the local level, as well as take a team approach to cowboys and bullfighters from Wyoming who make it to the national finals rodeo. We’re united behind the Wyoming Rodeo and Wyoming Cowboys when everybody gets to Las Vegas. Team Wyoming is growing, advancing Wyoming Rodeo as the state’s premier sport.”
“It is good to come back to Las Vegas as a perfect place for NFR. It is a great event,” said Chet Johnson, saddle bronc rider who serves on the PRCA board of directors.
Brenna Herring competed in breakaway, barrel racing and team roping and attended the Eastern Wyoming College to study animal science. Speaking to the audience, she said: “We come together as part of this bigger rodeo tourism family. We’re proud of our support for our Wyoming tourism industry and for the sport of rodeo.”
Team Wyoming is the only state-sponsored rodeo team in the NFR for the Cowboy State.
Dignitaries in attendance at the breakfast include Gov. Gordon, Sen. Lummis, U.S. Representative Harriet Hageman (R-WY), Wyoming Sen. Bill Landon (R-District 27), Wyoming Sen. Stacey Jones (R-District 13), Wyoming Representative Jared Olsen (R-District 8), Director of the Wyoming Department of Agriculture Doug Miyamoto, President of the Wyoming Stock Growers Association Jack Berger, CEO of PRCA Tom Glause and Director of the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame Kent Sturman. Representatives from the Wyoming Office of Tourism, Gene Humphrey (a veteran recognized at the rodeo) and the nine members of Team Wyoming were also in attendance.
The NFR has been held at the Thomas & Mack Center since 1985, bringing in an estimated 170,000 fans during the 10-day event. On Jan. 24, 2014, the PRCA signed a contract extension through 2024 with the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. In 2023, the Las Vegas Events board of trustees and the PRCA board of directors reached an agreement to keep the NFR in Las Vegas through 2035. The projections for 2024 are an estimated 173,350 in attendance spending a projected $82,166,893.
The Cowboy Channel Cowboy Christmas, the only official gift show of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, has been a Las Vegas tradition since 1986. The Cowboy Channel Cowboy Christmas is held at the central and south halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center and features more than 500,000 square feet of show floor and more than 350 exhibitors. Interactive experiences, including the Ariat Rodeo Live Stage and the YETI Junior World Finals, are part of the experience. The Cowboy Channel Cowboy Christmas reported a record attendance of 369,653 people in 2023. Predicted attendance for 2024 is 293,236, with projected sales of $62,540,993.
Team Wyoming is comprised of nine rodeo stars:
• Ty Blasingame (team roper)
• Tanner Butner (saddle bronc)
• Brody Cress (saddle bronc)
• Seth Hardwick (bareback)
• Nate Jestes (bullfighter)
• Chet Johnson (saddle bronc)
• Cole Reiner (bareback)
• Dusty Tuckness (bullfighter)
• Brody Wells (saddle bronc)