July 18-27, 2025

Days
Hours
Minutes
Seconds

Hooper & Thurston advance to Semifinals

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (June 23, 2022) – The action at the 126th Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo (CFD) was fierce from the first crack of the chute gates at Saturday’s opening performance. A roaring crowd cheered as Tilden Hooper won the bareback riding Quarter Finals with a score of 88 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s bucking horse Knight Mare. The Texas cowboy finished as CFD reserve champion last year and took the next step in his quest to earn his first title at Frontier Park.
The eight-time National Finals Rodeo (NFR) bareback rider is currently ranked 17th. He needs to be among the top 15 at the end of the season to make a 9th trip to Las Vegas. Hooper will advance to the Semifinals next weekend along with two-time CFD and three-time world champion Tim O’Connell, newly crowned college champion Ty Pope and rookie leader Rocker Steiner.
Two-time world champion saddle bronc rider Zeke Thurston of Big Valley, Alberta, Canada, is another veteran cowboy looking for his first CFD championship. Like Hooper, his quest is off to a good start after Thurston won Saturday’s Quarter Finals. He scored 87 points on Andrews Rodeo’s horse Cracker Jack to win the day by 3.5 points.
Oklahoma cowgirl Leslie Smalygo is having her best season in pro rodeo this year. She is ranked 15th in the world standings and seeking her first trip to the NFR in barrel racing. Riding her 12-year-old sorrel horse named Justaheartbeattafame that she calls Gus, she bested 11 other women with a time of 17.38 seconds. That guaranteed her a spot in the Semifinals.
Smalygo won nearly $14,000 over the July 4 “Cowboy Christmas” run of rodeos. Her success this season has her friends telling her she’s “on fire.” That prompted the barrel racer to dye her hair the colors of fire – mixing pink, orange and red with her blonde locks.
Bull riders at the “Daddy of ‘em All” compete on consecutive days and have two opportunities to advance to the Semifinals. The same 18 bull riders will return to compete tomorrow.
The second Quarter Finals begins at 12:45 p.m. on Sunday, July 24.
CHEYENNE, Wyo (July 23, 2022)- The following are unofficial results from Quarter Finals 1 at the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo on Saturday, July 23. Payoff subject to change.
Bareback Riding: 1, Tilden Hooper, Carthage, Texas, 88 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Knight Mare, $2,447. 2, Ty Pope, Marshall, Mo., 86, $1,835. 3, (tie) Tim O’ Connell, Zwingle, Iowa, and Rocker Steiner, Weatherford, Texas, 84.5, $917 each.
Breakaway Roping: 1, Angie Green, Huntsville, Texas, 3.9 seconds, $2,951. 2. Rheagan Cotton, Fairfield, Texas, 4.3, $2,213. 3, (tie) Sierra Galusha, Warrensburg, N.Y., and Alli Masters, Leon, Iowa, 4.8, $1,106 each.
Tie Down Roping: Blake Ash, Aurora, Mo., 12.9 seconds, $2,000. 2, Kase Bacque, Huntsville, Texas, 13.3, $1,500. 3, Kalai Nobriga, Kealakekua, Hawaii, 13.6, $1,000. 4, Jade Lyon, Meadow, S.D., 13.7, $500.
Rookie Saddle Bronc Riding: Results Pending
Saddle Bronc Riding: 1, Zeke Thurston, Big Valley, Alberta, 87 points on Andrew Rodeo’s Cracker Jack, $2,345. 2, (tie) Tanner Butner, Daniel, Wyo., and Q Taylor, Casper, Wyo., 83.5, $1,47 each. 4, Kolby Wanchuck, Sherwood Park, Alberta, 82.5, $294.
Team Roping: 1, Rio Nutter, Rapid City, S.D., and Daine A McNenny, Hereford, S.D., 10.4 seconds, $2,000 each. 2, Jon Peterson, and Levi O’ Keeffe, Belle Fourche, S.D., 10.7, $1,500 each. 3, Britt Williams, Hammond, Mont., and Cayden Cox, Arroyo, Ariz., 11.6, $1,000 each. 4, Brayden Parker and Dustin Searcy, Scottsdale, Ariz., 13.0, $500 each.
Steer Wrestling: 1, Denard Butler, Checotah, Okla., 6.5, $2,000. 2, Walt Arnold, Coleman, Texas, 6.7, $1,500. 3, Colten Leech, 6.8, $1,000. 4, Emmett Edler, State Center, Iowa, 7.0, $500.
Barrel Racing: 1, Leslie Smalygo, Skiatook, Okla., 17.38 seconds, $2,353. 2, Paige Jones, Wayne, Okla., 17.50, $1,765. 3, Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, S.D., 17.67, $1,176. 4, Michelle Merrick, Las Vegas, Nev., 17.82, $588.
Bull Riding: 1, Jeff Askey, Athens, Texas, 87.5 points on Smith Pro Rodeo’s Roullette, $2,397. 2, Colton Kelly, Rhome, Texas, 87, $1,797. 3, Garrett Smith, Rexburg, Idaho, 86.5, $1,797. 4, Keith Gleaves, Amarillo, Texas, 85, $599.

WATCH: Barrel Racing Qualifier

A mother of four from a town of 80 people in South Dakota set a new barrel racing arena record Wednesday at Cheyenne Frontier Days. Summer Kosel and her horse Apollo finished the big arena pattern in 17.02 seconds to win the qualifying round that trimmed the field from more than 190 barrel racers to 72. Kosel has never been to ‘The Daddy’ and came this year at the urging of a friend. She beat the previous Frontier Park time by one one-hundredth of a second.

WATCH: Breakaway Qualifier

Sundance, Wyoming’s Peggy Garman set a breakaway roping record at Cheyenne Frontier Days on Wednesday morning with a three-second flat run. She won the wild card round in which just twelve of 140 ropers advanced to afternoon performances starting Saturday at ‘The Daddy.’ Garman is an alum of Casper College where she spent two years on the rodeo team. It may be some time before a smile leaves her face.

WATCH: Steer Wrestling Qualifier

The Etbauer name has been synonymous with success at Cheyenne Frontier Days because a trio of Oklahoma saddle-bronc riding brothers ruled the roost for a long time. Robert Etbauer’s son Trell is a bit stouter, and he wrestles steers. Etbauer was faster than 130 of his bulldogging pals in qualifier Round 1 competition at ‘The Daddy’ Tuesday with a run of 5.7 seconds.

WATCH: Tie Down Roping Qualifier

Oklahoman Mike Johnson is Chute 9 royalty at Cheyenne Frontier Days. He won his first of two tie-down roping titles a quarter century ago and Johnson has entered ‘The Daddy’ for nearly four decades. He’s not going to many rodeos these days but the man who holds the NFR record for appearances in his event (23) was back in Cheyenne to easily advance out of the tie-down qualifying round with a solid 12.4 second run on Monday.

Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo qualifying rounds see new records

PICK UP MAN INITIATIVE COMBATS SUICIDE

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (July 21, 2022) – Cheyenne Frontier Days is tackling suicide awareness and prevention with a new campaign aimed at individuals attending and participating in “Daddy of ‘em All” events. They have enlisted the help of country music star Garth Brooks in promoting a campaign built around the role of the rodeo Pick Up Man in the arena.

The campaign encourages people to “reach out to a Pick Up Man or be a Pick Up Man for someone in need.” People contemplating suicide are directed to the new nationwide 988 Suicide Prevention Hotline. Individuals who see friends, family members, or neighbors struggling with mental health are encouraged to reach out.

“Our western culture of independence and self-reliance may inhibit people from seeking help, or people from offering help,” Tom Hirsig, CFD CEO said. “In rodeo, we call the pick up man a lifesaver in the arena. Every cowboy knows the pick up man is out there to help, to give a hand. And the athletes do not hesitate to reach out for help. We want everyone to use that example in their lives.”

A public service video featuring Garth Brooks will be played during rodeo and night show performances. The video was recorded at the request of and specifically for the CFD Pick up Man campaign. “Words cannot express our deep appreciation to Garth Books for his assistance in this important effort,” Hirsig said.

The campaign acknowledges that suicide rates in the Rocky Mountain West are among the highest in the nation. The CFD effort is intended to raise awareness and places a priority on connecting individuals to the national hotline, where appropriate counseling can be provided.

CFD will be selling “Pick Up Man” hat feathers and necklaces with as part of the campaign with net proceeds being given to local suicide prevention efforts.

July 16 the Unofficial Start of CFD

The unofficial start of Cheyenne Frontier Days will kick off July 16 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 23. Rodeo qualifiers are free to the public.

Qualifying Schedule:

  • July 16 at 8 a.m. — Steer Roping. Top 12 advance to Finals Sunday.
  • July 17 at 8 a.m. — Team Roping. Top 72 advance to rodeo performances.
  • July 18 at 8 a.m. — Tie Down Roping. Top 72 advance to rodeo performances.
  • July 19 at 8 a.m. — Steer Wrestling & Women’s Breakaway Roping. Top 72 advance to rodeo performances.
  • July 20 at 7 a.m. — Women’s Breakaway Roping & Barrel Racing. Top 72 advance to rodeo performances.

Museum presents the Western Art Show & Sale

CFD Announces 2022 Concerts

Frontier Nights® lineup announced and tickets on sale March 16

Cheyenne Frontier Days™ (CFD) announced the 2022 Frontier Nights® entertainment series tonight. The Professional Bull Riders (PBR) will return with its new Team Series event and the complete concert schedule was released. In addition, the 126th annual “Daddy of ‘em All®” will feature nine days of PRCA professional rodeo that will conclude with Championship Sunday, where champions are crowned and legends are made.

Rodeo and PBR tickets have been on sale since December, and Season Ticket memberships were made available in November for those interested in purchasing all performances for rodeo, nightshow or both.

Concert tickets will go on sale March 16 at 9 a.m. MDT at www.cfdrodeo.com.

The Cheyenne Frontier Days Ticket Office will not be open for in-person or phone sales on March 16. Tickets will be sold online only that day to accommodate the volume of announcing the full lineup.

The ticket office will re-open for in-person and phone sales at 9:00 a.m. MDT on March 17.

“We are excited to share this lineup for 2022 tonight,” Contract Acts Chairman Scott Lewis said.  “We worked hard to put the full lineup together so that fans would know who is coming each night.”

The PBR Team Series’ inaugural 11-event season will include a three-day homestand event hosted by each of the eight founding teams. The 2022 season will begin in Cheyenne and will culminate in a team championship at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas November 4-6, 2022.

There will be hundreds of vendors, a full carnival, artists, food and music that celebrate the history and culture of the American West.

Concert ticket prices range from $54 – $105, rooftop starts at $175. Daily rodeo tickets range from $18 – $43, rooftop starts at $80. PBR tickets range from $25 – $105 with special Elite Seating and V.I.P. tickets also available at various prices.

A $3 discount is offered on rodeo tickets and $5 discount on concert tickets purchased before July 1.

Fans can upgrade to a Frontier Nights® Fast Pass for early admission to the Party Zone, a voucher for best-available same-day rodeo tickets and a souvenir rodeo program. For a full events schedule and profiles of musical acts, go to www.cfdrodeo.com.