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Cheyenne Frontier Days 2000

© Diana Rowe Martinez

Known as the "The Daddy of 'em All", the world's largest outdoor rodeo of its kind is put on by strictly volunteers. The well-known Cheyenne Frontier Days (CFD) is held in Cheyenne, Wyoming the last full week of July each year. The 2000 rodeo was held July 21-30th, now in its 104th year, with an attendance of approximately 400,000 from all fifty states, Japan, Korea, Australia, Canada, England, France, Germany and Austria.

This amazing rodeo tradition began way back in 1897 and began as a one-day show. The rodeo ground offered a few uncovered bleacher seats behind a rail fence designating the track area. Events then included horses races, pitching and bucking of horses, wild horses, pitching and bucking of horses, wild horse racing and steer roping. Special events were also included featuring blasts from the Old West's past, such as ox trains, stage holdups, pony express rides, cavalry battles, and Indian and military demonstrations.

Still today volunteers make up the backbone of the CFD rodeo bringing it to the degree of success of today. Over 2,000 volunteers and a small fourteen person office staff work diligently all year to see the culmination of their year-long plans unfold in nine days. With an operating budget of approximately two million dollars, the volunteers on the General Committee, as well as the entire volunteer staff, must be committed to the spirit of the Rodeo. And committed they are.

Each year, this rodeo adventure gets even better, and the 2000 Cheyenne Frontier Days was no exception. Entertainers included such musical acts as the Judds, Styx, Don McLean, Randy Travis, Ty Herndon, Tanya Tucker, Sammy Kershaw, the Charlie Daniels Band, Reba McEntire, John Michael Montgomery, Terri Clark and Clint Black.

Other local and rodeo entertainment include parades, Native American Indian Dancers, the Indian Village, museums, the Thunderbirds and Warren AFB, Cheyenne Street and Railway Trolley, to name a few.

But the most exciting part of the Cheyenne Frontier Days, to me, will always be the rodeo. There are many performances to choose from at this PRCA sanctioned rodeo, but the culmination of these events is final weekend. The highest point winners of two rounds make it to the finals earning their chance to take home not only the final round winnings but also the CFD championship title.

As usual, this year's PRCA rodeos roster listed those big names that we've all heard, plus those making their way through the ranks. The final weekend is the climax of a hard 9 days of rodeo-ing to these cowboy, but only a handful make it this far and the tension is high.

CFD 2000 Calf Roping Champion Fred Whitfield

Sean Mulligan 2000 CFD Steer Wrestling Champion

2000 CFD Final Round Winner Kristie Peterson

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