ProRodeo Sports News - August 2, 2019

JUNIOR WORLD FINALS

RODEO’S YOUNG GUNS WILL BE ON DISPLAY AT THE JUNIOR WORLD FINALS DURING COWBOY CHRISTMAS

Timed events are some of the most exciting action at the Junior World Finals

Championship buckles and an All Around title are on the line at the Junior World Finals at Wrangler Rodeo Arena

AT THE LAS VEGAS CONVENTION CENTER By Brian Hurlburt D

irt flies as competitors earn their eight seconds, high scores or fast times. Top- level announcers call the

action while a live in-arena video feed is shown. Fans pack the stands and cheer on some of rodeo’s top athletes, all of whom have descended on Las Vegas in December in the hopes of winning a buckle. Yes, it’s the … Junior World Finals, an action-packed, 10-day rodeo com- petition that has served as the enjoy- able midday appetizer to the nightly Wrangler National Finals Rodeo since 2016. Known as the Junior National Finals Rodeo for the past three years, rodeo’s stars of tomorrow will now be competing in the Junior World Finals presented by YETI, where the limit for the competition will be as high as a 100-point ride. Indeed, seemingly the only difference between the Junior World Finals and the Wrangler NFR is age and experience. “We are growing and expanding at an unbelievable pace, and that is thanks to our producers, competitors, families, fans and sponsors. There are no limits to the future,” says Bo Gardner, vice president of corporate marketing for Las Vegas Events and general man- ager of the Junior World Finals. “This year, the Junior World Finals will have $500,000 in added cash for the nine events, which is on top of the $20,000- $30,000 in prizes each event producer has lined up. “Last year, we had competitors from four countries and 38 states, and who knows what the future will hold. The op- portunities for all involved are endless.”

WE ARE GROWING AND EXPANDING AT AN UNBELIEVABLE PACE, AND THAT IS THANKS TO OUR PRODUCERS, COMPETITORS, FAMILIES, FANS AND SPONSORS. THERE ARE ARE NO LIMITS TO THE FUTURE, SAYS BO GARDNER

GLIMPSING THE FUTURE

During the 2018 Wrangler NFR, Las Vegas Events announced the creation of the Junior World Finals presented by YETI. The rebranded competi- tion will take place December 5-14 and once again be the focal point of Cowboy Christmas at Las Vegas Con- vention Center, where family and fans can expect more competitors, more incentives, more action, more drama and, well, more of everything. “We will have an all-new look at the Wrangler Rodeo Arena,” Gardner says of the venue that hosts hundreds of young cowboys and cowgirls. “It will have a new color scheme, more seating and a slightly differ- ent layout, and there will be new LED boards and a live Junior World Finals feed on the Realtree stage. Also, the Priefert VIP area will now be two levels, and our Junior World

Finals BLVD area will expand in many ways, including with an offi- cial new Junior World Finals mer- chandise partner, Grapevine, which is [designing] amazing logo ware for competitors and fans.” In 2018, 700 contestants competed in age-specific qualifiers and finals in eight events: bull riding, bareback riding, saddle-bronc riding, steer wrestling, girls and boys breaka- way roping, team roping, tie-down roping and barrel racing. This year, the event is expected to grow to more than 750 competitors, and a ninth event has been added to the mix. “I’m excited to bring poles to Vegas and really bring it to the forefront,” says professional barrel racer Kelly Kaminski, who will organize both pole bending and barrel racing during the

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Photo: Tom Donoghue.

Photo: Tom Donoghue.