Get ready for a December to remember in the lively city of Las Vegas, Nevada! This month, it’s all about rodeo; the excitement is off the charts. The show’s star is the much-anticipated Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, but that’s just the beginning.
Las Vegas is pulling out all the stops with other thrilling events that promise non-stop action throughout the month.
Don’t miss out on the rodeo extravaganza—check out the full schedule of events and get ready for an adrenaline-packed experience!
Wrangler National Finals Rodeo presented by Teton Ridge
- Dec. 7-16, 2023
- Thomas & Mack Center
The Wrangler National Finals Rodeo presented by Teton Ridge, is a premier annual event in the world of professional rodeo. Scheduled to take place from December 7-16, 2023, at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, this event features the top 15 professional rodeo athletes from various disciplines.
The competition includes various rodeo events, such as team roping, with the pairs for the 2023 event already announced. The Wrangler National Finals Rodeo is a significant event in the rodeo calendar, attracting a large audience and substantial media coverage.
Wrangler National Finals Breakaway Roping
- Dec. 5-6, 2023
- South Point Arena & Equestrian Center
The Wrangler National Finals Breakaway Roping (NFBR) is an annual event featuring the top 15 breakaway ropers competing for a $250,000 prize. The competition takes place over two days and includes 10 rounds.
It is a women’s event at the collegiate, semi-professional, and professional level. The 2023 NFBR is scheduled to take place at the South Point Arena & Equestrian Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, from December 5 to December 6.
YETI Junior World Finals
- Dec. 7-16, 2023
- Wrangler Rodeo Arena
The YETI Junior World Finals is an annual rodeo event for young athletes aged 19 or under. It features nine events, including bull riding, bareback riding, and team roping.
The competition takes place over 10 days in December at the Wrangler Rodeo Arena in Las Vegas, with more than $1 million in combined cash and prizes up for grabs.
PRCA Permit Member of the Year Challenge
- Dec. 7, 2023
- South Point Arena & Equestrian Center
The PRCA Permit Member of the Year Challenge is an annual rodeo event that highlights the top permit members of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA). The event includes various rodeo disciplines such as bareback riding, bull riding, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, team roping, and tie-down roping.
The 2023 Permit Members Of the Year Challenge is scheduled for Thursday, December 7th, 2023, at the South Point Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. This event consists of a full rodeo performance with two rounds of competition.
ALL IN Barrel Race
- Dec. 7-9, 2023
- Dec. 14-17, 2023
- Orleans Arena
The ALL IN Barrel Race is a competitive barrel racing event that takes place from December 7-17, 2023. It consists of two separate races, Race 1 (December 7-9) and Race 2 (December 14-17), which are open 5D events with no qualification required.
The competition includes various categories such as youth championship, adult side pot, senior side pot, futurity, adult championship, senior championship, derby, and youth side pot.
Contestants compete for cash prizes and paybacks in each category. Barrel racing is a rodeo event where a horse and rider attempt to complete a cloverleaf pattern around three preset barrels in the fastest time.
Las Vegas Stars
- Dec. 7-16, 2023
- The Plaza Hotel & Casino CORE Arena
The Las Vegas Stars is a rodeo event that takes place annually in Las Vegas, Nevada. It features some of the best breakaway and tie-down ropers in the world and offers a large prize purse. The event is dedicated to growing tie-down and breakaway roping in the country, providing world-class payouts to youth and open ropers.
The Las Vegas Stars event includes categories such as 10 & Under Breakaway, 12 & Under Breakaway, and 12 & Under Tie-Down. Both boys and girls are welcome to participate in these categories. The event awards a Championship Buckle, Rope Can, and Leather Jacket to the winners. Additional awards are given for fast time and all short-go contestants.
Chris Neal produces the event and is part of the WCRA DY Qualifier Series, which awards qualifications to a Cinch World Championship Junior Rodeo based on the nominated athlete with the highest aggregate placing. The Las Vegas Stars event qualifies for rodeo events like the Jr Patriot Finals.
World Futurity Bronc Finale
- Dec. 8, 2023
- South Point Arena & Equestrian Center
The World Futurity Bronc Finale is a prestigious equestrian event showcasing some of the world’s top saddle bronc competitors. The event takes place at the South Point Casino’s state-of-the-art arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The competition features the top 4 and 5-year-old saddle broncs in North America, which are matched up against some of the world’s best bronc riders. The event is part of the World Futurity Association, which also holds competitions for 2 and 3-year-old broncs.
The World Futurity Bronc Finale is a competition and a sale event. All horses are consigned in Benny Binion’s World Famous NFR Bucking Horse & Bull Sale and are sold in the arena immediately after the competition.
The event is a spectacle of skill and endurance as competitors try to stay atop their bucking horses. It offers guests of all ages the opportunity to witness the intensity and excitement of world-class bronc riding.
Rope for the Crown
- Dec. 8-9, 2023
- The Plaza Hotel & Casino CORE Arena
The Rope for the Crown is a breakaway roping competition that takes place annually in Las Vegas, Nevada. The event is organized by CN Productions and is held at The Plaza Hotel & Casino’s CORE Arena.
The competition is open to female breakaway ropers and includes categories such as Open Ladies Breakaway and American Qualifier Sidepot. The event also features a Junior Rope for the Crown Breakaway Championships for younger competitors, with divisions for Junior (16-19) and Youth (13-15).
The competition format typically involves multiple rounds, with the top competitors advancing to the final round. For example, the Rope for the Crown competition comprises a 4-head format with three full rounds and the top 15 ropers advancing to the short round.
The event offers significant cash prizes, with the Junior Rope for the Crown Breakaway Championships featuring $20,000 added money and a $45,000 total payout. The Rope for the Crown also offers a variety of prizes, including Tres Rios belt buckles, Visible Faith necklaces, Outlaw Spirit tooled day planners, and more.
The Rope for the Crown is a significant event in the rodeo calendar. It is covered by various media outlets, including RFD-TV, The Cowboy Channel, and Women’s Pro Rodeo Today.
Bullfighters Only Las Vegas Championships
- Dec. 8-9, 2023
- Dec. 14-16, 2023
- Resorts World
The Bullfighters Only (BFO) Las Vegas Championships is a premier freestyle bullfighting event that takes place annually in Las Vegas, Nevada. The competition features the world’s top-ranked freestyle bullfighters who compete for a share of the tour’s largest purse and the prestigious BFO World Championship title.
The event is held at Resorts World Las Vegas and offers over $125,000 in cash prizes. The competition format is tournament-style, with each athlete fighting for a chance to advance to the Championship Round.
The BFO Las Vegas Championships is a thrilling and adrenaline-pumping event that showcases the bravest athletes in the world taking on the most fierce fighting bulls.
Ariat World Series of Team Roping Finale
- Dec. 9-17, 2023
- South Point Arena & Equestrian Center
The Ariat World Series of Team Roping (WSTR) Finale is the world’s second-largest equestrian event, focusing on amateur handicapped team roping. Held annually at the South Point Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, the event has been the premier team roping competition since its inception in 2006.
The Ariat WSTR Finale pays out over $13 million in prize money across eight divisions over eight days. The event attracts over three thousand contestants and horses from various countries, including the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, and others.
The Finale is held alongside the National Finals Rodeo, allowing team ropers to experience the life-changing prize money at the South Point and enjoy watching the top cowboys and cowgirls in the world at the Thomas and Mack Arena.
The 2023 Ariat WSTR Finale is scheduled for December 9-17.
ALL IN Breakaway Roping
- Dec. 10-13, 2023
- Orleans Arena
The ALL IN Breakaway Roping is a competitive breakaway roping event that takes place in Las Vegas, Nevada. The 2023 event is scheduled to occur from December 10-13. The competition is an open 3D event, meaning it does not require any qualification to participate. The event guarantees a payout of $150,000.
Breakaway roping is an equine sport developed in the western United States. It involves a rider on horseback roping a calf around the neck. The most common penalty in breakaway roping is the addition of 10 seconds when a roper breaks the barrier, failing to give the calf the appropriate head start. Breakaway ropes may also be disqualified for any catch other than a bell-collar catch—that is, a clean catch around the calf’s neck.
The ALL IN Breakaway Roping event is structured with multiple rounds. The first round takes place on December 10th, the second round on December 11th, and the short round on December 12th. The event concludes with hotel/stall checkout on December 13th.
Safety is a prime objective at this breakaway roping event. Any horse or contestant deemed to be dangerous by the management of ALL IN Breakaway Roping, LLC or Group W Productions, LLC will be disqualified, and entry fees will not be refunded.
Junior Rope for the Crown
- Dec. 11-12, 2023
- The Plaza Hotel & Casino CORE Arena
The Junior Rope for the Crown is a breakaway roping championship event held in Las Vegas, Nevada, alongside the Rope for the Crown Breakaway Championships. The competition features Junior (16-19) and Youth (13-15) divisions, with $20,000 added money and a $45,000 total payout.
There are four pathways to qualify for the Junior Rope for the Crown Breakaway Championships, including ranking in the top 16 on the WCRA DY24 Leaderboard, winning the WCRA DY World Champion Title, winning a CN Productions event, or placing in the top five in the average from the Junior Rope for the Crown Last Chance Qualifier.
Exceptional Rodeo
- Dec. 14, 2023
- Thomas & Mack Center
The Exceptional Rodeo is an annual event that allows children with special needs to experience the thrill of rodeo activities in a safe and adaptive environment. The event is hosted by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) and has been celebrated for over 40 years.
Held at the Temple Grandin Equine Center within Colorado State University’s Spur campus in Denver, the Exceptional Rodeo allows participants to try their hand at various rodeo activities such as roping and riding. The event also features mechanical bulls and horses, and participants can meet professional rodeo cowboys and queens who volunteer their time and attention.
The Exceptional Rodeo is designed to be a mock and adaptive rodeo, providing a firsthand rodeo experience to children with physical and developmental disabilities. Activities include steer wrestling, also known as “bulldogging,” where participants experience the thrill of wrestling a life-sized replica steer to the ground. Other activities include roping a “dummy” steer.
The event is a fun-filled day for the children and an important learning experience. It helps to prove to parents that their children can do things, and it provides valuable community outreach, enriching agriculture and Western heritage to many individuals.
Every child who participates in the Exceptional Rodeo receives a t-shirt and a cowboy hat; the event is a highlight of the National Western Stock Show’s lineup yearly.
