ProRodeo Sports News - November 16, 2018

WRANGLER NATIONAL FINALS RODEO

Wrangler NFR an immersive experience Dive Right In

BY PAT CHRISTENSON, President of Las Vegas Events I t proved to be fairly difficult to come up with the proper word to describe the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, which has blossomed into a citywide celebration of the entire Western lifestyle. The festivities this year are Dec. 6-15 and are anchored by the biggest and baddest rodeo with the best rodeo athletes on the planet competing for their share of $10 million. So, I decided on “immersive.” Well, that just about says it all because anyone in Las Vegas during the Wrangler NFR 10 days each December can become as involved as they want to be and experience literally hundreds of events around Las Vegas. Just some of the roll call besides the Wrangler NFR includes Cowboy Christmas, RMEF’s Hunter and Outdoor Christmas Expo, dozens of country concerts and plenty more in nearly every nook and cranny at more than 25 resorts and other supporting businesses. What powers everything is the Wrangler NFR that features the Top 15 PRCA competitors battling to win the coveted gold buckle. Even at the rodeo, fans can become involved before, during and after the show. The PRCA Pro Rodeo Zone located outside theThomas &Mack offers live music on the RAMStage, fan exhibits including the ProRodeo Gear tent and the Justin Sportsmedicine Team trailer, food and drink, and a chance to test skills on the Coors mechanical bull. The NFR Plaza outside the arena doors is where country delicacies are available.

Inside, The ’Shoe is a 36,000-square-foot addition to the northwest side of theThomas &Mack that offers rodeo fans interactive experiences and hospitality in a fully-themedWestern environment including the Walk of Champions. The ’Shoe also will be the site of CBS Sports Network’s rodeo pre-show and RFD-TV’s NFR Countdown. Meanwhile, on the arena’s southeast side oppositeThe ’Shoe, fans can enjoy all the activities and amenities of the returning Cowboy Corral, which takes over the adjacent Cox Pavilion with live music, a huge bar and plenty of space to sit and relax or kick up your heels. The live entertainment will include Andy Griggs &D’em Boyz playing each night before the Wrangler NFR starting at 5:30 p.m. Following the NFR, the Cowboy Corral will stay jumping with performances by Sean Curtis and the Divide (Dec. 6-9) andThe Brit Stokes Band (Dec. 10-15). During the day, Cowboy Christmas has earned a reputation as a must-attend event of the 10 days. It really is a shopping paradise withmore than 350 exhibitors in hundreds of thousands of square feet of decadence. Other Cowboy Christmas highlights include the Rodeo Live Stage that is home to Flint Rasmussen’s “Outside the Barrel” show, RodeoWay, the Social Lounge, the GreatWall of Rodeo and the concurrent RMEFHunter andOutdoor Expo. Also, be sure to check out NFR Extra, the customized studio that will feature interviews from the sport of rodeo. There’s a lot to see and do, and the best way to search it all is visit NFRExperience.com and then try and pack as much as you can into your time at the Wrangler NFR. We’ll see you around soon.

EXPERIENCE LAS VEGAS

JUSTIN BOOTS FINALE SEPT. 5–8 RODEO STARTS ON THURSDAY—THAT’S 4 DAYS OF RODEO FUN!

#PartyBigWA

THEFAIR.COM

ProRodeo Sports News 11/16/2018

ProRodeo.com

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