Parker Chronicle > News
Annual showcase steers into area
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| The Westernairs, a youth riding group from Jefferson County, performs one of its maneuvers during last year's National Western Stock Show and Rodeo. The group will be back and will perform at all the professional rodeo performances at this year's event that runs from Jan. 10 to 25. Courtesy photo |
By Tom Munds
Each January, the metro area happily reverts to being a cow town for the annual run of the National Western Stock Show.
The annual event features stock shows, rodeos, displays and entertainment activities.
This year’s festivities open Jan. 10 and the schedule of events wraps up Jan. 25. During that stretch of time, hundreds of thousands of patrons will push through the turnstiles to attend events including wild west shows, rodeos and equestrian events or watch or take part in stock judging events and auctions.
While entertainment draws a lot of attention, much of the event’s focus is on stock shows. There are judging competitions for horses, cattle, sheep, swine, goats, llamas, bison, yaks, poultry and rabbits. Other livestock-related events include a sheep-shearing contest and the catch-a-calf competition, in which young livestock enthusiasts try to catch a calf they keep and are judged next year on their ability to raise and care for the animal.
There also are a number of livestock sales in which millions of dollars change hands as prize animals are sold to new owners.
The first wave of the thousands of animals will begin arriving at the National Western Stock Show complex early this week.
Stabling the animals requires coordination because of the number of animals coming to the show and the limited stable space.
In the cattle barns, the animals are bedded down. When its time for them to be shown, the cattle are brought inside, where they are washed, blow dried and combed to get them looking their best. In one barn, a sign over a wash area for cattle identifies it as, “The Bovine Beauty Shop.” Once that breed’s shows are complete, the animals are either auctioned off or loaded up to be taken home, the stalls are cleaned and made ready for the next occupants.
For information on times, location and tickets for one or more events, call the stock show at 303-297-1166 or visit the Web site at www.nationalwestern.com. The Web site includes a map to the National Western complex and a map of the extensive complex grounds.
The National Western Stock Show is Colorado's largest trade show. The Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce reports the 2005 National Western Stock Show had an economic impact of about $84.1 million a figure that has grown by about $8 million since the report based on the ’98 stock show.
The show events are spread among a number of facilities. Stock show activities are centered at the National Western Stock Show Arena and Hall of Education near 46th Avenue and Humbolt Street, the Events Center at 1515 E. 47th Ave. and the Denver Coliseum.
The entertainment schedule includes, for the first time, evening entertainment in the Events Center as well as 23 rodeo performances during first stop of the year for members of the Professional Rodeo Cowboy’s Association.
Each rodeo performance features competition in bareback bronc riding, saddle bronc riding, bull riding, tie-down roping, steer wrestling, team roping and barrel racing plus there are specialty acts are booked to perform during breaks in the rodeo.
The rodeo events are in the Coliseum while, at the other end of the National Western complex, the Events Center will be equally busy as the site of horse competitions for a number of breeds and styles.
There will be shows and competitions as well as activities that include the Grand Prix jumping event, an evening of Dancing Horses and a daily schedule of riding and performance competitions. The Equestrian Center is also the site of the Wild West Show, an event fashioned after the turn-of-the-century performances produced by Buffalo Bill Cody.
The annual event features stock shows, rodeos, displays and entertainment activities.
This year’s festivities open Jan. 10 and the schedule of events wraps up Jan. 25. During that stretch of time, hundreds of thousands of patrons will push through the turnstiles to attend events including wild west shows, rodeos and equestrian events or watch or take part in stock judging events and auctions.
While entertainment draws a lot of attention, much of the event’s focus is on stock shows. There are judging competitions for horses, cattle, sheep, swine, goats, llamas, bison, yaks, poultry and rabbits. Other livestock-related events include a sheep-shearing contest and the catch-a-calf competition, in which young livestock enthusiasts try to catch a calf they keep and are judged next year on their ability to raise and care for the animal.
There also are a number of livestock sales in which millions of dollars change hands as prize animals are sold to new owners.
The first wave of the thousands of animals will begin arriving at the National Western Stock Show complex early this week.
Stabling the animals requires coordination because of the number of animals coming to the show and the limited stable space.
In the cattle barns, the animals are bedded down. When its time for them to be shown, the cattle are brought inside, where they are washed, blow dried and combed to get them looking their best. In one barn, a sign over a wash area for cattle identifies it as, “The Bovine Beauty Shop.” Once that breed’s shows are complete, the animals are either auctioned off or loaded up to be taken home, the stalls are cleaned and made ready for the next occupants.
For information on times, location and tickets for one or more events, call the stock show at 303-297-1166 or visit the Web site at www.nationalwestern.com. The Web site includes a map to the National Western complex and a map of the extensive complex grounds.
The National Western Stock Show is Colorado's largest trade show. The Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce reports the 2005 National Western Stock Show had an economic impact of about $84.1 million a figure that has grown by about $8 million since the report based on the ’98 stock show.
The show events are spread among a number of facilities. Stock show activities are centered at the National Western Stock Show Arena and Hall of Education near 46th Avenue and Humbolt Street, the Events Center at 1515 E. 47th Ave. and the Denver Coliseum.
The entertainment schedule includes, for the first time, evening entertainment in the Events Center as well as 23 rodeo performances during first stop of the year for members of the Professional Rodeo Cowboy’s Association.
Each rodeo performance features competition in bareback bronc riding, saddle bronc riding, bull riding, tie-down roping, steer wrestling, team roping and barrel racing plus there are specialty acts are booked to perform during breaks in the rodeo.
The rodeo events are in the Coliseum while, at the other end of the National Western complex, the Events Center will be equally busy as the site of horse competitions for a number of breeds and styles.
There will be shows and competitions as well as activities that include the Grand Prix jumping event, an evening of Dancing Horses and a daily schedule of riding and performance competitions. The Equestrian Center is also the site of the Wild West Show, an event fashioned after the turn-of-the-century performances produced by Buffalo Bill Cody.
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