ProRodeo Sports News June 14th, 2019

COWBOY CHRISTMAS PREVIEW

CODY STAMPEDE Cody,Wyo. July 1-4 codystampederodeo.com

The Cody Stampede Rodeo is celebrating its centennial along with its induction into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame as part of the 2019 class. The Cody Stampede, set in Cody, Wyo., the self-proclaimed “Rodeo Capitol of the World,” has attracted countless spectators and many of ProRodeo’s biggest names over the last 100 years in this small, but iconic, town just east of Yellowstone National Park. The Cody Stampede won the PRCA’s Best Large Outdoor Rodeo of the Year in 1998 and 1999. Its arena is where many legends of ProRodeo got their start, including Cody’s own world champion and ProRodeo Hall of Famer Bill Smith. “It’s an integral part of the community to celebrate cowboys and traditions of the West,” said MarcThompson, co-president of the Cody Stampede. “The other thing is our crowd; we bring in people from all over the world, and it’s great to celebrate America and the WildWest and traditions of Western lifestyle and have them enjoy their experience inWyoming and in Cody.” The town was founded in 1896 by American iconWilliam Frederick “Buffalo Bill” Cody, who passed away in 1917. Two years later, a rodeo and parade were held to commemorate Buffalo Bill and the “OldWest” he personified. The inaugural event was held June 23-25, 1919, to coincide with the opening of Yellowstone National Park’s East Gate. The following year, it was moved to the Fourth of July where it has remained. Downtown Cody is lined withWestern shops and museums, such as the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, which has hundreds of artifacts from the WildWest era, as well as the world’s largest and most comprehensive gun museum. Even the food in Cody has strong ties to rodeo. Owned and operated by Jay Linderman, Adriano’s Italian Restaurant’s walls are covered in trophy buckles and photos of the Linderman family. Across the street, there’s the Proud Cut Saloon, owned by PRCA Gold Card member and Northwest College Rodeo coach Del Nose. On that same street is the historical Irma Hotel, where a live-actionWildWest gunfight reenactment is held every evening Mondays through Saturdays all summer. “It’s an extremely patriotic event, we have parades and fireworks and music,” Thompson said. “We made the whole week a celebration with pro rodeo as the heart of the celebration. I don’t think there’s any experience quite like it anywhere else.” In addition to more than $330,000 in prize money, Thompson pointed to quality stock and contestant hospitality as reasons why the PRCA’s best make the Cody Stampede an annual affair. “We treat them (contestants) like family and pamper them in any way we can because we want them to feel at home when they’re here and come back because we appreciate what they do and the sacrifices they make to be a rodeo athlete,” Thompson said. In addition to the traditional rodeo action and parade, the 100th Cody Stampede Rodeo will include a free Clint Black concert inside the rodeo arena June 27. “InWyoming, rodeo is the only pro sport that we have, so it’s a big deal to us,” Thompson said. “People like (nine-time bullfighter of the year) Dusty Tuckness or any of our professional rodeo athletes represent Wyoming, and that’s what we have to offer the world. They’re our face for the state of Wyoming.”

The Cody Stampede is celebrating its 100th anniversary along with being inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame this year. Courtesy Cody Stampede

ProRodeo Sports News 6/14/2019

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