Rodeo fans flock to Las Vegas for championship competitions.
The first rodeo took place in 1869 between cowboys on neighboring ranches competing to decide who did their jobs best, according to the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, or PRCA. Today, rodeo is a professional sport offering athletes the chance to win millions in prize money. Each year, Las Vegas and nearby Nevada towns host several rodeos, including three world championship competitions.
Wrangler National Finals Rodeo
Top competitors---human and animals---in seven events come to Las Vegas in December to vie for the title of World Champion and, in 2009, $5.5 million in prize money. The PRCA's Wrangler National Finals Rodeo is a 10-day cowboy version of the NFL's Super Bowl. Cowboys and the animal stock they attempt to ride or rope qualify to participate by earning points at PRCA-sanctioned rodeos throughout the year. Competition takes place at the Thomas & Mack Center at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas.
Bull Riders World Finals
Founded in 1992 to make bull riding a separate sport, the Professional Bull Riders association holds its World Finals championship competition in Las Vegas during a five-day event in October. In 2010, more than $3 million in prize money awaited the top PBR bull riders who qualified to compete at the event, which takes place at UNLV's Thomas & Mack Center.
Gay Rodeo
Each year in May, the Nevada Gay Rodeo Association, or NGRA, holds one of the country's largest gay rodeos in Las Vegas. The BigHorn rodeo features comedic entertainment as well as traditional rodeo events and raises money for charity. NGRA is a member of the International Gay Rodeo Association, which holds its World Gay Rodeo Finals in October in Laughlin, Nevada. Laughlin is approximately 95 miles southeast of Las Vegas.
Other PRCA-Sanctioned Events
In addition to its championship event, the PRCA sanctions several traditional rodeos and at least one bull riding event in the Las Vegas area. In March, watch bronc riders and others compete at the Laughlin River Stampede. April offers a PRCA Xtreme Bulls event in Laughlin and a full traditional rodeo as part of the Clark County Fair and Rodeo held in Logandale, which is 58 miles northeast of Las Vegas. In May, Las Vegas Elks Lodge 1468 presents Helldorado Days, a celebration that includes a three-day PRCA-sanctioned rodeo event that raises money for children's and veterans' charities.
Tags: prize money, Bull Riders, bull riding, championship competitions, Each year