North Platte, Neb. (May 19, 2014) – North Platte is the home of the original Western Showman, Buffalo Bill Cody, and his entertainment.
And June 18-21, the tradition continues.
Several hundred cowboys and cowgirls, horses, bulls, calves, steers, and trucks and trailers will converge on North Platte for the annual rodeo named after the showman, to compete for prize money and gold buckles.
For cowboys, the Buffalo Bill Rodeo is the unofficial kick-off to the Fourth of July run, the most lucrative time of the year for pro rodeo cowboys and cowgirls. With North Platte’s central location, cowboys compete and often go on to the Reno, Nev. rodeo.
For the fans, the Buffalo Bill Rodeo committee hires some of the best personnel in the business and several with local ties. Announcers Hadley Barrett and Randy Corley call the action. Barrett was born and raised in the North Platte area and Corley lived there part of his adult life. Bullfighters Andy Burelle, Ardmore, Okla., and Quirt Hunt, Hershey, will work to protect bull riders each night. Beutler and Son Rodeo Co., Elk City, Okla., will bring their bucking bulls and horses to North Platte. They’ve provided their award-winning livestock to the Buffalo Bill Rodeo since 1949.
New to this year’s rodeo is barrelman and clown Justin Rumford. The Ponca City, Okla. man, who is a two-time Pro Rodeo Cowboys Association Clown of the Year, will bring his brand of comedy to entertain fans.
The committee works hard to make it good entertainment for fans. “It’s a top-notch rodeo,” said Shelli Arensdorf, co-chair of the committee and a resident of Hershey. “Good personnel translates to a good rodeo for fans. (Personnel) really involve the fans, keep them entertained, involved and informed, and that two hours of rodeo flies by.”
And the aura from the old showman, Buffalo Bill, doesn’t hurt, either. “It’s where Buffalo Bill got his start. He had one of the first rodeos in North Platte,” Arensdorf said. The Wild West Arena is within view of Buffalo Bill’s home, which he built in 1886. “We’re across the parking lot from his home and the barn” where the shingles proclaim “Scout’s Rest Ranch.
The Buffalo Bill Rodeo takes place at 8 pm each night, June 18-21. Tickets are $20 for reserved seating and $13 for adults and $7 for kids ages twelve and under in the upper grandstand. They can be purchased at the NebraskalandDays office, online at NebraskalandDays.com, and at the gate. For more information, visit the website or call the office at 308.532.7939.