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Some Riders Say Cheyenne Frontier Days Isn't The Same After Eliminating Slack
Cowboy State Daily • • nation
Key Points:
- The 130th Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo has reduced entries by about 70%, eliminating the morning slack competition that previously allowed hundreds of overflow contestants in timed events.
- The change aims to ease horse-trailer parking congestion and create a more manageable schedule for volunteers, while increasing the total prize money to $960,000.
- Many competitors, including barrel racer Kate Spaur Devore, feel the event has lost its accessibility and iconic status as "the Daddy of ’em All," which historically helped launch and sustain rodeo careers.
- The rodeo's shift to a sudden-death tournament format in 2019 and the current entry limits have led to fewer spectators and some pros choosing other events, such as the California Rodeo Salinas, which maintains a traditional format.
- Cheyenne Frontier Days CEO Tom Hirsig acknowledges the tough decisions behind the changes, citing space limitations and rising costs, but emphasizes the rodeo has outgrown its previous capacity for slack competitors.
