This is the NFR Experience..........................................................................................................................6 The Wrangler NFR is More...........................................................................................................................8 The Biggest Arena on Earth.......................................................................................................................10 ProRodeo Cowboys Association..............................................................................................................12 Women’s Professional Rodeo Association 14 An Epic Kicko 16 More...More...More ...................................................................................................................................... 18 The Show ...................................................................................................................................................... 20 Cowboy Christmas – It’s All Here ........................................................................................................... 22 A True Cowboy Partnership ..................................................................................................................... 26 So Many Ways to Play ................................................................................................................................ 28 Rockin’ On Down the Strip ....................................................................................................................... 30 Hallowed Dirt 32 Pick Your Party 36 On Their Way to the Top 40 Weekend Warriors Cash In 44 Timeline of Memories ............................................................................................................................... 48 How Many Did You Say ............................................................................................................................. 52 Rodeo’s Most Intimate Arena ................................................................................................................... 54 NFR Experience Takes Center Stage ...................................................................................................... 56 A Cowgirl NFR Experience ....................................................................................................................... 58 Focusing on What Is Important 60 NFR Honors Our Heroes 64 All Hands on Deck 66 Pass the Word 68 Collaboration Fuels Experience .............................................................................................................. 70 Partners Behind the NFR Experience .....................................................................................................72 Culture Defines the NFR Production ......................................................................................................76 NFR 360 ..........................................................................................................................................................78 In Their Own Words ................................................................................................................................... 80 It’s All About Family ................................................................................................................................... 82 Vegas and NFR is Just Good Business 84 PHOTO CREDITS: ALL IN 46 BLACK RAVEN FILMS 16 BULLFIGHTERS ONLY 45 ALEXANDER CONNOR 54, 76 MIKE COPEMAN 34 (BRAZILE, COOPER, HARRIS, TOMSKELTON)DONOGHUE COVER, 31, 56, 64, 78 (LEFT) JAMES FAIN 34 (L. FEILD) JERRY GALLEGOS 36 CLAY GUARDIPEE 16 P. KITTS 34 (K. FIELD) LVCVA 10 FRED NYLASSY 34 (JAMES) AL POWERS 31 (ALDEAN) JOHN PLUMMER 36 PRCA 12, 34 (KIMZEY, MURRAY), 59 SADDLEBOOK 40, 4243 STEVE SPATAFORE 2, 5, 6, 20, 22, 24, 26, 38, 58, 60, 66, 70, 72, 74, 78 (RIGHT), 82 JASON STOLTZFUS 30 WORLD SERIES OF TEAM ROPING 4647 1 4
PUBLISHER Las Vegas Events PROJECT MANAGER/EDITOR Brian Hurlburt GRAPHIC DESIGN Christopher Jones COVER DESIGN Eric Berner Las Vegas Events 770 W. Warm Springs Rd., Suite 140 Las Vegas, NV 89119 NFRexperience.com Copyright 2022 Las Vegas Events. All rights reserved. No re-production of any items without the express written consent of Las Vegas Events. NFR is a registered trademark of the Professional Cowboys Rodeo Association, used with permission. 2 Look For NFR 360 Video Links Throughout!
The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association® is the oldest and largest sanctioning body in the world with more than 7,000 members comprising of contestants, contract personnel and stock contractors. The PRCA® sanctions more than 650 rodeos annually through committees that produce and promote the rodeo as part of a much bigger community celebration. More than 4,700 cowboys begin the year in pursuit of the coveted Gold Buckle. To get to Las Vegas for the opportunity to compete in the NFR, they will compete in 70-100 rodeos where they pay their own expenses as well as an entry fee. The PRCA provides judges, rules and guidelines to ensure a fair playing field. The PRCA continuously works to improve the working conditions for the contestants, monitors livestock welfare and is preparing for the future of rodeo with Youth Camps and fi nancial Sinceassistance.1985, Las Vegas and the PRCA have had a partnership which has improved contestant and stock contractor payout for the NFR over tenfold. Both share in the responsibility for the future of the sport. The Las Vegas and PRCA partnership has created stunning opportunities for members, sponsors and fans.
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The National Finals of Breakaway Roping debuted during the NFR in 2020 as Jackie Crawford earned the title. In 2021, Sawyer Gilbert (upper right image) won the event at The Orleans in Las Vegas. In 2022, the event will be at the South Point Arena and Equestrian Center.
The WPRA, headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colo., provides opportunities for women across the United States and Canada to compete in the timed events of barrel racing, team roping, breakaway roping, and tie-down roping.
The Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA) is the oldest women’s sports organization in the country. The Association started in 1948 with a group of Texas ranch women who wanted to add a little color and femininity to the rough-and-tumble sport of rodeo. What was then known as the GRA began with 74 members and 60 approved contests with a total payout of $29,000. In 1981, the GRA changed its name to the WPRA. Today, the association boasts more than 3,000 members, over 1,500 events and payouts totaling over $5 million. And the best are always on display in Vegas.
“The Wrangler and what our great home and the city the future has
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What truly makes The Cowboy Channel Cowboy Christmas unique is the quality and diversity of the exhibitors and entertainment options, from live stage shows to autograph signings to the YETI Junior World Finals and so much more. You can find handmade pottery and crafts, furnishings, original art, and western wear, plus rub elbows with NFR and country & Western entertainment legends and up and comers from on and off the dirt. This is THE place for anything for anyone. ATTENDEES IN THEIR OWN WORDS: • A confluence of Americana • It is not a Kodak moment, it is hours of Kodak moments • I make the trip each year just for Cowboy Christmas • I can’t believe all the NFR contestants I ran into • You cannot shop it all in a day • There is no shopping experience like it • The quality of the hand-crafted items was stunning 25
TROPICANAAVENUE ON GILESST. RENOAVENUEHACIENDALASVEGASBOULEVARD RUSSELL ROAD TROPICANAAVENUE DEANMARTINDRIVE T INN FRANKSINATRADRIVE M AND A L AY B AY M G M G R A N D NEW Y O R K NEW Y O R K P L A NE T HO L LYW OO D T H E SI LVE RTO N S O UTH PO IN T ALAY BAY EXCALIBURLUXOR HOTELOYO&CASINO TROPICANATROPICANA MGM GRAND ORK ORK T-MOBILEARENA PARK MGMWALDORFASTORIA MINGE BELLAGIO RAGE PLA LLYW LASPARISVEGAS BALLYʼS MING TH 4.5 mi les SO 6.1 mi les DELANO McCARRANAIRPORTINTERNATIONAL>1mile M G M GR A N D S I GN ATURE T O WER S MG AND SI FREMONTSTREETLASVEGASBOULEVARD4THSTREET3RDSTREET CARSONAVENUECASINOCENTERBOULEVARDBRIDGERAVENUE STEWART6THSTREET7THSTREETOGDENAVENUEAVENUEMAINSTREET1STSTREET EL CO RTE Z GO LD SPI KE THE D G O LDE N NUG G EPLT A Z A DOWNTOW N GR A N D QUEENSFOUR GO GETPL AZA MAIN STREET CALIFORNIATHESTATION AND FREMONT NEON O PO LIS GGATEOLDE BINIONʼS SOU TH ALLEGIANT STADIUM CIRCA RESORT & CASINO • Entertainment in The Chelsea •The Ice Rink •Core Arena • Oscarʼs Steakhouse •Coyote Ugly • Autograph Signings •The Colosseum •Old Homestead Steakhouse •NFR Ultimate Watch Party •Andiamo Italian Steakhouse •Nightly entertainment •Triple George Steakhouse •Cornerstone Steakhouse •Gold Coast Showroom• Country Christmas • Comedy Cellar • Live Nightly Viewing • Scotch 80 Prime •Nightly Giveaways •Robert Irvineʼs Public House •Gilleyʼs Dance •Golden Circle •Nightly concerts •Saltgrass Steakhouse •Cowboy•CowboyvilleMarketPlace • Boydʼs Rodeo Party •Buckinʼ Bash •Gold Buckle Zone •Autograph signings •Rodeo Vegas •Official After Party of ProRodeo •Zappos Theater •Miracle Mile Shops •World Series of Team Roping •NFR Go Round Buckle Presentation 28
AVENUE FLAMINGOROAD SANDS/TWAINAVENUE DESERTSAHARAAVENUEINNROAD PARADISEROAD LAS VEGAS UNIVERSITYBOULEVARDCENTERDRIVE MARYLANDPARKWAY RIVIERABOULEVARD INNVALLEYROADVIEWBOULEVARD SAHARAAVENUE JOEW.BROWN SIERRAVISTADRIVE SILVER SEVENS THOMAS & MACKTHOMASCENTER& CENTER O WEST G ATE S VEG AS HAR PARISVEGAS BALLYʼS LASWESTINVEGASTHE LINQ INTERNATIONALTRUMP WYNN ENCORE GATE LAS CONVENTIONCONVENTIONVEGASCENTERLASVEGASCENTERSAHARALASVEGASSAHARALASVEGAS STRATOSPHERE CIRCUS CIRCUS STATIONPALACE SAM’S TOWN 4.9 miles FASHIONMALLSHOW VIR G IN H O TE L LA S VEG AS SOUTHHALLSNORTH(towa r ds D owntown ) THE PALAZZO THE VENETIAN HARRAH’S RESORTS WORLD LAS VEGAS (COMING IN 2023) WESTHALL •Host Hotel of Cowboy Christmas •Edge Steakhouse •Home of Cowboy Revival •Nightly concerts •Gilleyʼs Saloon,Hall & BBQ Sportsbook & Bar •Live Night Viewing •Bazaar Meat by José Andreas •YETI JWF NFR Viewing Party •Mystic Falls Park Winter Wonderland •Piano Bar •Rodeo World •BFO World Championships RIVIERABOULEVARD ROAD VALLEYVIEWBOULEVARD TRE SUR ISL A N D ) AT E L A A S H A R A H ’ S A E AND ( TI ROLLERHIGHLINQ LA VEGAS L L A A S Our festival stages are located in billion-dollar resorts that dot the Las Vegas Strip, downtown and beyond. PARTNERSRESORTOFFICIAL Caesars Palace The Cosmopolitan The DowntownD Grand Gold NewTheMGMMandalayHarrah’sGoldenCoastNuggetBayGrandMirageYork-New York The PalmsOrleansCasino Resort Planet Hollywood The ResortsPlazaWorld Las Vegas Rio Las Vegas Sahara Las Vegas Sam’s Town South TuscanyTropicanaTreasurePointIslandSuites and Casino Virgin Hotels Las Vegas Westgate Las Vegas Listing of events are from 2022. Listings subject to change.
“Less
The Las Vegas Events (LVE) sta is “All-In” on the NFR. In 2001, LVE had 15 people in its organization. In 2022, LVE has 15 people in its organization. With this sta of talented people, LVE produces or supports more than 30 events per year. But every one of our sta has a role in the NFR, not to just work it, but to improve service and add programming. The Devil is in the Details.
Keener leads our NFR event operations team that manages details and solves problems. How do they do this well? They are organized. Detail organized!
Tim Keener, LVE vice president of events and ticketing operations, tells stories with excel. Anyone who reads one of his spreadsheets is treated to concise data organized in a way that tells you more than you expected.
– Pat Christenson, President, LVE 67
During the NFR, our team assists Allen Rheinheimer, NFR general manager, and oversees every aspect of ticketing, credentials and bus transportation. They also coordinate all aspects of Thomas & Mack Center logistics. One team. One goal. One success. 2 is more when you have a great team.”
