NFR HISTORY
HISTORY OF THE NATIONAL FINALS RODEO Every year as thousands of fans flock to the lights of Las Vegas, Nevada for the National Finals Rodeo, we think it’s important to look back to see how far we’ve come in order to fully appreciate where we are. Let’s take a trip down memory lane from the very beginning of the first NFR to today! BY HANNAH CRANDALL
1959
The very first National Finals Rodeo (NFR) took place in Dallas at the Dallas State Fairgrounds December 26-30, 1959, featuring competition in bareback riding, steer wrestling, saddle bronc riding, tie-down roping and bull riding. Steer roping finals have been held separately since the first year. The top 15 cowboys in each event were invited to the finals in Dallas. The Rodeo Cowboys Association (RCA) figure for prize money won by cowboys in 1959 was $3,137,245, and the top 69 contestants at the end of the year had the chance to compete for an additional $57,500 at the first NFR. The average winners of the inaugural event were Jack Buschbom (bareback riding), Willard Combs (steer wrestling), Jim Tescher (saddle bronc riding), Olin Young (tie-down roping) and Jim Shoulders (bull riding). In 1962, the Rodeo Cowboys Association (RCA) moved the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) to Los Angeles, California. Here, the event was held at the Los Angeles Sports Arena. Team roping was added as an NFR event this year.
1962
The average winners this year included John Hawkins (bareback riding), Mark Schricker (steer wrestling), Les Hirdes and Julius Boschi (team roping), Alvin Nelson (saddle bronc riding), Olin Young (tie-down roping) and Bob Robinson (bull riding). After just two years in Los Angeles, the decision was made in 1964 to move the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) to the State Fair Arena (also known as the Jim Norick Arena) in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The first NFR in Oklahoma City took place the following year in 1965. There were 47,027 fans. The average winners were Dennis Reiners (bareback riding), John W Jones Sr. (steer wrestling), Billy Darnell and Bronc Curry (team roping), Bill Martinelli (saddle bronc riding), Jim Bob Altizer (tie-down roping) and Ron Rossen (bull riding). Barrel racing was added to the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) action in 1967. Frances Smith took the win home in the only women’s event that year. The other average winners were Clyde Vamvoras (bareback riding), Walt Linderman (steer wrestling), Bucky Bradford Jr. and Ace Berry (team roping), Larry Mahan (saddle bronc riding), Glen Franklin (tie-down roping) and Freckles Brown (bull riding). It wasn’t until 1974 that the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) was televised consistently. From 1974 through 1986, the event was telecast through syndication; and in 1987, ESPN began broadcasting the event. From 2011 to 2013, the event was televised live; and from 2014-2019, it was broadcast on CBS Sports Network. Now, the Cowboy Channel and RFD-TV televise the event live, as well as stream it on the Cowboy Channel Plus app. NFR average winners in 1974 included Jack Ward Jr. (bareback riding), Bob Marshall (steer wrestling), Jim Wheatley and John Bill Rodriguez (team roping), Joe Marvel (saddle bronc riding), Ronnye Sewalt (tie-down roping), Colette Grave Baier (barrel racing) and Sandy Kirby (bull riding). Still in Oklahoma City, the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) moved downtown to the Myriad Convention Center in
1965
1967 1974
1979
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