World's Oldest Rodeo

Prescott Frontier Days, Inc. has presented the annual World's Oldest Rodeo at the Prescott Rodeo Grounds. For 2023, the rodeo will be performed. Join us to see your favorite events, including steer wrestling, bareback riding, tie-down roping, women's breakaway roping, saddle bronc riding, team roping, women's barrel racing, bull riding and other great entertainment!

The World's Oldest Rodeo is sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) which consists of both roughstock, or judged events (bareback, saddle bronc and bull riding) and timed events (steer wrestling, tie-down and team roping, and barrel racing) during each performance.

Join Us For The Excitement

Our gates open two hours before each performance and we hope you'll join us early to shop, eat, listen to live music, and enjoy!

Mutton Bustin' performances start at 12pm before the afternoon performances and at 6pm before the evening performances.

Rodeo 101

First time at the rodeo? Prepare for an unforgettable experience! Rodeos have been thrilling crowds since the 1800s. Across the country, people have enjoyed watching everyday ranch skills transformed into high-level competition.

Contestants tackle daring feats and prove their grit to tame the wild west by displaying courage and grit. The rodeo experience at Prescott Frontier Days , Inc. is as exciting as it is unique! Learn what to expect between the roping and the rodeo action!

Since 1888, this traditional event has occurred annually over the 4th of July weekend with eight breath-taking performances.

Mutton Bustin

World's Oldest Rodeo's Pre-Show

Rodeo's youngest cowboys and cowgirls cinch up their jeans and climb aboard an atypical rough stock animal – sheep, also known as mutton.

Grand Entry

This pageantry is the kick-off to our rodeo performances with over 70 mounted-riders, many carrying flags representing sponsors, enter the arena in a serpentine style. The grand entry is used to introduce some of the competitors, officials, and sponsors and has been a tradition since 1920.

Timed and Judged Events:

The World's Oldest Rodeo  is endorsed by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) and proudly presents the following rodeo events during each performance.

Wild Horse Race

Three-man bronc riding team (consisting of a shankman, mugger and a rider) who must contain a 1200-pound un-broke horse with a halter and lead shank. The cowboys must bring the horse to a stop, control the animal's actions long enough to cinch down a saddle and get the rider on and back to the finish line.

Steer-Wrestling

Also known as Bull-Dogging… While horseback, the steer wrestler must chase a steer down the arena jump from the horse and wrestle the steer to the ground in the shortest possible time.

Bareback Riding

A form of horseback riding without a saddle. This event requires skill, balance, and coordination, as the rider does not have any equipment to compensate for errors of balance or skill. The rider must stay on for at least 8 seconds to make a qualified ride. The horse is judged by the degree of difficulty he provides for the cowboy with a maximum of 50 points, as mentioned above. The cowboy is judged on style, control, and length of to-and-fro spur stroke with a maximum of 50 points. Total possible points of 100.

Tie-Down Roping

The goal of this timed event is for the rider to catch the calf by throwing a loop from a rope around its neck, dismount from the horse, run to the calf, and restrain it by tying three legs together, in as short a time as possible.

Breakaway Roping

Breakaway roping is one of the hottest events sanctioned by the Women's Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA), and the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) is proud to share this event with some of the best cowgirls in rodeo. Breakaway roping is the event comparable to the men's tie-down roping on the cowboy side except the cowgirls are not required to dismount and tie the calf. In breakaway roping, the cowgirl has a flag tied close to the end of her rope and a nylon string tied from the rope to the saddle horn. Once the barrier is released and the calf leaves the roping chute, the cowgirl gives chase throwing the loop around the calf's neck. When the rope grows tight after the calf is roped, the string breaks away from the saddle horn and the flag goes flying, signaling the timer to stop the clock. The time in the breakaway roping can sometimes be as fast as 2.0 seconds and since it is a timed event, the fastest time wins. A broken barrier results in a 10-second penalty.

Saddle Bronc Riding

Saddle Bronc riding is rodeo's classic event. It's an 8-second contest. The cowboy must keep both feet in the stirrups, one hand on the bronc rein and one hand in the air. The cowboy's free hand cannot touch the animal, the equipment or himself. That would mean disqualification. The horse is judged by the degree of difficulty he provides for the cowboy with a maximum of 50 points, as mentioned above. The cowboy is judged on style, control, and length of to-and-fro spur stroke with a maximum of 50 points. Total possible points of 100.

Team Roping

Team roping consists of two ropers; the header ropes the steer and turn the steer to allow the heeler to rope the back legs of the steer. This event requires close cooperation and timing between two skilled ropers. The team must perfect their timing, both as a team and with their respective horses for a qualified ride. The quickest time wins the round.

Barrel Racing

This event brings the women to our rodeo. It consists of a cowgirl, her horse, three barrels and a stopwatch. The objective is to ride in a clover leaf pattern around the barrels without knocking them over and the fastest time to wins the round.

Bull Riding

A rodeo sport that involves a rider getting on a 2,000+ pound bull and attempting to stay mounted while the animal attempts to buck off the rider. In the American tradition, the rider must stay atop the bucking bull for eight seconds to count as a qualified ride.  The bull is judged by the degree of difficulty he provides for the cowboy with a maximum of 50 points, as mentioned above. The cowboy is judged on style and control with a maximum of 50 points. Total possible points of 100.

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