July 17-26, 2026
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July 17-26, 2026
It was a great day of tie down roping at Cheyenne Frontier Days and in fact it was the best ever. The arena record of 9.9 seconds set in 1997 was matched twice during the first qualifying round July 17. The record was surpassed two times before 205 ropers completed their work. Oklahoma’s Tyler Milligan was fastest of them all stopping the clock at 9.3 seconds to collect a check for more than $5,100.
The Cheyenne Frontier Days Arena Director sat a little taller in the saddle on July 16, watching his son’s qualifying round Team Roping run with partner Brayden Wiesen. Zane Thompson grew up on Frontier Park. His father, Frank, took over Arena Director position from Tom Hirsig around 12 years ago. Hirsig is now Cheyenne Frontier Days President & CEO. Zane & Brayden are both graduates of Burns High School and they finished well within the top 60 advancing to the first Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo performance. Frank Thompson won a World Champion’s Gold Buckle Steer Wrestling in 2000. The entire family is deeply involved at “The Daddy.”
More than 130 cowboys completed both preliminary rounds at Cheyenne Frontier Days on July 15, setting the steer roping field’s top twelve who will return for Championship Sunday. It is fitting a Wyoming family who’s competed at “The Daddy” since 1943 would have a representative at the Cheyenne Legacy Steer Roping Finals. Troy Tillard from Douglas won a CFD Champion Buckle in 2004. Saturday he finished two steers in 31.4 seconds, fourth in the average.
The unofficial start of Cheyenne Frontier Days will kick off July 15 with rodeo qualifiers. The Daddy of ‘em All Rodeo is a modified, tournament-style format. Timed events will have qualifying rounds to make it into the rodeo performances beginning July 22. Rodeo qualifiers are free to the public.
Qualifying Schedule:
On Sunday, July 16 CFD will round up bucking horses from the pasture north of Cheyenne along I-25, and through the city streets into Frontier Park. The roundup begins at approximately 8 a.m. at the intersection of I-25 & Horse Creek Road north of the city. It then moves along I-25 on the Eastern frontage road to Hynds Blvd., turns south to Central Ave., to Kennedy Road, and then moves from Kennedy Road to Hynds Blvd., and into Frontier Park.
Approximate arrival times at the following areas are as follows:
Please note: The Wyoming Highway Patrol will not allow parking along I-25 at any time during the Roundup. Central Ave., between Kennedy Road and Hynds Blvd., will be closed while horses are on Central Ave.
Registration Fee: $50
Entries will be accepted on a first come, first serve basis, and are limited to the first 30 entries.
Open to boys and girls residing in Laramie County only. Participants must be under 13 years of age as of August 1, 2023.
For further information, contact Janet Vossler (307) 421-2840.
Planning for the 2023 Cheyenne Frontier Days is underway, with the concert announcement coming on March 2!
When choosing concerts this year, keep things simple and safe by purchasing your tickets directly from cfdrodeo.com. When it comes to enjoying the star-studded, Cheyenne Frontier Days lineup this year, there’s only one party and it’s NOT third-party! Avoid ticket scalpers on third-party services, by buying from us.
Tickets range from $23-$48 for rodeo, $25-$105 for PBR, and $77-$107 for concerts. If you see higher prices, then it’s not directly from Cheyenne Frontier Days. V.I.P. tickets will range from $100-$300 and will be sold only through the Cheyenne Frontier Days.
Speaking of tickets… here’s an insider tip: Save the date for Zach Bryan, one of the hottest young stars to come around on July 23!
Cheyenne Frontier Days concert tickets will go on sale to the public on March 15.
The Cheyenne Frontier Days Dandies will be conducting a clinic on Sunday, January 29 at 5 p.m. at the Laramie County Community College (LCCC) Arena. It is highly recommended that interested candidates attend the clinic.
Dandies Tryouts will be conducted on Sunday, February 5 at the LCCC Arena. Interviews begin at 3 p.m. and horsemanship evaluations begin at 5 p.m. The horse used at tryouts must be the horse intended for the entirety of the program year.
All applicants must sign waivers and wear helmets if they are under the age of 18. Clinic and tryouts are open to high school women ages 14 to 19. Must be age 14 by June 1, 2023.
Questions can be referred to Halley Redman at email dandies.director@cfdrodeo.com
Cheyenne Frontier Days™ (CFD) will put tickets for the 2023 event on sale December 1. Tickets for the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) Rodeo, the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Team Series Event, Carnival Armbands and Gift Cards (redeemable for tickets or merchandise) will go on sale.
Tickets go on sale December 1 at 9 a.m. MT at www.cfdrodeo.com, and by calling (307) 778-7222.
The 127th annual “Daddy of ‘em All®” will feature nine days of fast-paced PRCA and WPRA rodeo culminating in Championship Sunday where champions are crowned, and legends are made.
The PBR Team Series is an elite league which launched in July 2022 at Cheyenne Frontier Days, featuring the world’s top bull riders competing on teams in 5-on-5 bull riding games.
There will be hundreds of vendors, a full carnival, artists, food, and music celebrating the history and culture of the American West.
Daily rodeo tickets range from $23 – $48, with VIP at additional cost. A $3 discount is offered on rodeo tickets purchased before July 1. PBR tickets range from $25 – $105 with special Elite Seating and VIP tickets also available at various prices. Carnival Armbands will be $40 per session or $150 for all 10 days.
Cheyenne Frontier Days partners with AXS, a global leader in ticketing for the entertainment world. CFD and AXS offer ticket purchasers the latest innovations in mobile ticketing, ticket forwarding, online account management, payment plans, and resale.
Event attendees will use AXS Mobile ID technology through the AXS App which provides contactless, secure, and personalized fan experiences. Attendees will need to download the AXS App to access digital ticket purchases for 2023.
Artist Announcements are coming in March 2023. For the full range of pricing and more event information, please visit www.cfdrodeo.com.
The Cheyenne Frontier Days Board of Directors has named John Contos as the next General Chairman. In this role, he will lead the General Committee in producing the 127th annual celebration. Contos replaces outgoing General Chairman Jimmy Dean Siler.
Contos retired from Laramie County School District #1 as an Administrator of Health, Physical Education, and Safe & Drug Free Schools & Communities. Prior to that, he served as a Physical/Health Education Instructor at Laramie County School District #1. Contos attended the University of Wyoming where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology and a Masters degree.
Contos has been a CFD Volunteer for 39 years; he joined the HEELS organization in 1998; and was a CFD Public Relations Chairman. Contos was a CFD Board Member from 2016 – 2021 where he was: Secretary/Treasurer, Vice President, and Board President in 2018.
Contos will begin preparation for the 127th annual celebration by meeting with the General Committee to review the 2022 show and plan for improvements for the next year.
Contos said, “I am honored, excited and humbled to be selected as the next General Chairman of the World’s Largest Outdoor Rodeo and Western Celebration!”
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (July 31, 2022) – What started in 1897 as a competition between local ranches has turned into a 10-day entertainment extravaganza that celebrates the Western lifestyle known worldwide as Cheyenne Frontier Days (CFD).
The 126th “Daddy of ‘em All” was deemed a huge success by organizers, thanks to the efforts of the 3,000 volunteers. The rodeo which is the centerpiece of CFD boasted 1,650 contestants and a record purse of $1,080,813. This was an increase from 1,403 contestants in 2021.
The first rodeo performance on July 23, opened on National Day of the Cowboy with a sold-out crowd. Saturday, July 30 also saw a sold-out rodeo. On Championship Sunday, rodeo fans watched history unfold as Jade Corkill won his fourth championship as a team roping heeler, Tim O’Connell won his third in bareback riding, and Stetson Wright won his second consecutive in saddle bronc riding. Through nine performances of the rodeo, attendance topped out at 108,662 compared to 111,617 last year.
Additionally, the qualifying competition and all of the rodeo action was broadcast live on The Cowboy Channel Plus App. The performances were also showcased on RFD-TV and The Cowboy Channel.
A special feature of each rodeo performance was the Pick-Up Man Initiative Combats Suicide. Country music star Garth Brooks provided a public service announcement regarding suicide awareness and prevention. Cheyenne’s rodeo is known for the pick-up men in the arena who help the contestants. The campaign encourages people to “reach out to a Pick Up Man or be a Pick Up Man for someone in need.” Yellow feathers were sold and proceeds will be donated locally.
Frontier Nights was once again popular with 103,798 in attendance compared to 115,618 last year. Part of that entertainment was the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) very first team series event. Last year the PBR’s competition had 20,257 in attendance. This year was slightly down at 19,756. The bull riding was broadcast on CBS Sports Network and PBR’s Ride Pass. Additionally, 32,653 gate admission tickets were sold bringing total attendance to 264,869.
All branches of the military were again honored on Military Monday with active personnel and veterans receiving free admission, where the 75th anniversary of the United States Air Force (USAF) was also celebrated. A special opening featured and military personnel and families bringing in a huge American Flag. The USAF Thunderbirds attended the rodeo on Tuesday, and performed during Wings Over Warren. An estimated 8,800 people attended the exhibition and many more watched throughout the city. This year’s celebration saw an unprecedented involvement by various military groups throughout the 10 days.
An estimated 6,500 animals were part of the rodeo, parades, and bull riding. On-site veterinarians checked animals multiple times daily, making sure the animal athletes were ready to perform. Only one animal required treatment and unfortunately that animal did not recover.
Downtown Cheyenne hosted four parades and three pancake breakfasts. Fans again lined the streets for the parades featuring all kinds of horsepower and celebrating CFD’s history. The Kiwanis worked to feed 18,788 at the pancake breakfasts.
The Native American Indian Village on Frontier Park had activities for all ages, from storytelling, dancing, flute playing and seeing authentic crafts. Approximately 36,262 people made their way through the village.
“What a ride it has been,” Jimmy Dean Siler said. Siler is finishing his term as CFD General Chairman. “I can’t thank our volunteers, and this community enough for all they do to keep the legend of Cheyenne Frontier Days growing. We offered a great experience for the competitors, the performers and our fans responded. It is a huge effort and one that I’ve been proud to be part of as a volunteer, committee chairman and general chairman. I look forward to seeing continued growth at the world’s best Western celebration.”