Welcome to the world’s oldest rodeo, located in the heart of Prescott, Arizona! The Prescott Frontier Days, also known as the “World’s Oldest Rodeo,” has been a beloved tradition since 1888, drawing visitors from all over the world to experience the excitement of this iconic event.
The World’s Oldest Rodeo features bull riding and barrel racing to team roping and steer wrestling, this rodeo has it all! In this comprehensive article, we’ll take a look at the history of the Prescott Frontier Days, as well as the events and schedule you can expect to see. So grab your cowboy hats and boots, and get ready for an unforgettable ride in Prescott, Arizona!
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Frontier Days, Rodeo & Fireworks Schedule
Parade Information
Rodeo Events
Rodeo History
Rodeo Infographs
Frontier Days, Rodeo & Fireworks Schedule
Wed. June 28
- 6:00 PM – Mutton Bustin’ (Rodeo Grounds)
- 7:30 PM – Performance #1 (Rodeo Grounds)
Thurs. June 29
- 6:00 PM – Mutton Bustin’ (Rodeo Grounds)
- 7:30 PM – Performance #2 (Rodeo Grounds)
- 8:00 PM – 12:00 AM – Rodeo Dance (Depot Marketplace)
Fri. June 30
- 9:00 AM – Kiwanis Kiddie Parade (Downtown Prescott)
- 6:00 PM – Mutton Bustin’ (Rodeo Grounds)
- 7:30 PM – Performance #3 (Rodeo Grounds)
- 8:00 PM- 1:00 AM – Rodeo Dance (Depot Marketplace)
Sat. July 1
- 9:00 AM – Rodeo Parade (Downtown Prescott)
- 9:00 AM – 5 PM | Rodeo Days Fine Arts & Crafts Show (Downtown Prescott)
- 12:00 PM – Whisky Row Boot Race (Downtown Prescott)
- 12:00 PM – Mutton Bustin’ (Rodeo Grounds)
- 1:30 PM – Performance #4 Military Tribute (Rodeo Grounds)
- 3:00 PM – 10:00 PM Fireworks at Watson Lake
- 6:00 PM – Mutton Bustin’ (Rodeo Grounds)
- 7:30 PM – Performance #5 (Rodeo Grounds)
- 8:00 PM – 1:00 AM – Rodeo Dance (Depot Marketplace)
Sun. July 2
- 9:00 AM – Cowboy Church (Rodeo Grounds)
- 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM – Rodeo Days Fine Arts & Crafts Show (Downtown Prescott)
- 6:00 PM – Mutton Bustin’ (Rodeo Grounds)
- 7:30 PM – Performance #6 First Responders Tribute (Rodeo Grounds)
Mon. July 3
- 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM – Rodeo Days Fine Arts & Crafts Show (Downtown Prescott)
- 6:00 PM – Mutton Bustin’ (Rodeo Grounds)
- 7:30 PM – Performance #7 (Rodeo Grounds)
Tues. July 4
- 12:00 PM – Mutton Bustin’ (Rodeo Grounds)
- 1:30 PM – Performance #8 (Rodeo Grounds)
- 3:00 PM – 9:00 PM Red, White & Boom Fireworks Celebration (Prescott Valley)
LOCATIONS
Rodeo Grounds | 840 Rodeo Dr, Prescott, AZ 86305
Downtown Prescott | Montezuma St & Gurley St
Depot Marketplace | 303 N Montezuma St
Prescott Valley | Prescott Civic Center 501 Skoog Blvd, Prescott Valley, AZ 86314
Watson Lake | 3101 Watson Lake Park Rd, Prescott, AZ 86301
Frontier Days Rodeo Parade Information
2023 Frontier Days Parade “Dances with Bulls”
Location: Downtown Prescott – Courthouse Plaza
Date & Time: Saturday, July 1, 2023 at 9:00AM
The Prescott Frontier Days® – World’s Oldest Rodeo® proudly presents the 136th Annual Rodeo Parade held in downtown Prescott over the 4th of July weekend! This year’s rodeo theme is, “Dances With Bulls”, celebrating the skill of the rodeo bull fighter (sometimes mistaken for rodeo clowns)!
The Rodeo Parade is a wonderful tradition which celebrates our rich western history, right here in Prescott, Arizona! We hope you will join us and help celebrate this amazing tradition!
Grand Marshal
This year, our Parade Grand Marshal is bullfighter Quirt Hunt. Quirt started his bullfighting career in high school and has been keeping bull riders out of harm’s way at the Prescott Frontier Days Rodeo for 20 years. Bullfighting is an iconic part of the rodeo culture that requires skill, courage, and athleticism. Every year Quirt Hunt puts on a spectacular show of exceptional talent, distracting bulls with his amazing skills, leading them away from the bull riders who are scrambling to safety. We appreciate Quirt taking the bull by the horns every single year and we are honored to have him as our Parade Grand Marshal!
Kiwanis Parade
Location: Downtown Prescott – Courthouse Plaza
Date & Time: Friday, June 30, 2023 at 9:00AM
Photo from Kiwanis Prescott Facebook Pg
Whiskey Row Boot Race
Location: Downtown Prescott – Courthouse Plaza
Date & Time: Saturday – July 1st, 2023 at 12:00pm
The Annual Whiskey Row Boot Race is a 100-yard* dash down historic Whiskey Row in Prescott, AZ. The yearly race is a re-enactment of the historical foot race of earlier years, but with an added twist: the contestants are required to wear cowboy boots during their dash in keeping with the western atmosphere of Prescott and the Frontier Days festivities.
Celebrating its 40th year, the event is sponsored by the Hensley Beverage Company in collaboration with Anheuser-Busch/Budweiser. The Hensley Beverage Company has participated in the Prescott Whiskey Row Boot Race for the last 40 years and it has become one of their favorite signature charity events. The yearly race raises money for local non-profit organizations in Yavapai County. The Hensley Beverage Company was founded in 1955 and is Arizona’s largest beer distributor.
Event: Whiskey Row Boot Race
Date: Saturday, July 1 | Event Registration
Time: After the Rodeo Parade (approximately 12:00 pm)
Place: Whiskey Row (on Montezuma Street, between Goodwin and Gurley Streets)
Fee: $10 registration fee
Other: all ages welcome
*50 yards for youth.
The Rodeo Events
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.
Times & Judged Events
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.
Rodeo Speciality Acts
Cody Sosebee – 2023 Barrelman
A resident of Charleston, Arkansas, Cody Sosebee was content playing out his days as a bareback and bull rider. As his 30s approached, Sosebee was sure he’d fill the rest of his years in the farming and ranching industry. An accidental career path was presented and Sosebee became a rodeo barrelman or “rodeo clown”. Today, Sosebee has provided sidesplitting entertainment that has attracted rodeo contractors nationwide. His goal is to entertain rodeo fans of all ages at every performance. We welcome Cody to the Prescott Frontier Days, ® Inc – World’s Oldest Rodeo ®.
John S. Payne – One Arm Bandit
John S. Payne, the notorious One Arm Bandit, was born to a rancher in the oil rich town of Shidler, Oklahoma on April 19, 1953. Ranch life with four brothers taught John to “Get out of the way or get run over”. John believes “When the going gets tough, the tough get going” and “If there is a will, there is a way”.
The cowboy said he started a rodeo act of wrangling mustangs and even a zebra to climb on top of a tractor trailer, and at the end of his performance he would get on top of it shooting off his pistol. He would do all of this with only one good arm. He’s been performing amazing acts for rodeos across the country for decades.
Broken Spoke – Clydesdales
At Broken Spoke Clydesdales, we’re blessed to travel across the country participating in rodeo exhibitions, fairs, and tons of other fun events! Over years, we’ve had the privilege of being involved in many competitions, including the NASHHCS Finals in 2016.
www.brokenspokeclydesdales.com
136 Years of History
Since 1888, Prescott Frontier Days®, Inc. has presented the annual World’s Oldest Rodeo® at the Prescott Rodeo Grounds. For 2023, the rodeo will be performed Wednesday, June 28th through Tuesday, July 4th. 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!
A History of the Prescott Rodeo – by Jim Anderson & Danny Freeman, photos courtesy of Sharlot Hall Museum – Updated 2023
“July 4, 1888, became the birthday of professional rodeo when a group of Prescott, Arizona, merchants and professional businessmen organized the first formalized “cowboy tournament” and offered cash prizes. A cowboy named Juan Leivas walked off with rodeo’s first professional title and was documented in the subsequent edition of the Arizona Journal-Miner. These “Cowboy Contests” continued and were planned, promoted and carried out by a committee of local merchants. From then on, rodeo has grown into a multimillion dollar enterprise with more than 700 professional rodeos in 50 states.
The act of rodeo is as old as cattle raising itself. Stemming out of the Spanish traditions of the vaquero, it has become a world phenomenon. But only in America has rodeo reached its zenith. Of all the sports that we the viewer, or the participant, have to choose from, no other is directly related to the natural world like rodeo. And unlike any other sport, rodeo reflects the skills used in real life. The knowledge, tenacious spirit, and athletic ability are inherent in the ranching world and are exemplified in the competitive arena of the rodeo.”
Read More About the Rodeo History
Infographics
prescottcityguide.com 