(Lander, WY) – The 130th Fremont Toyota Pioneer Days Rodeo, known as “The World’s Oldest Paid Rodeo,” will be held July 3rd and 4th in Lander, Wyoming. Starting at 6:30 p.m. each night for the Pre-Rodeo events, watch youth contestants compete in events such as mini-bull riding, junior barrels, and junior steer riding. The Grand Entry starts at 7:00 p.m. for the full night’s events.
As anticipated, on July 3 and 4, there will be the traditional western rodeo events including bull riding, saddle and ranch bronc riding, steer wrestling, barrel racing and breakaway, team and mixed team ropings. On both evenings, the ever-popular Indian Relay Races, sponsored by the Wind River Hotel and Casino, will feature men’s, women’s, and youth relay races. Teams from the Wind River Reservation, as well as other communities, race bareback at a high speed around the track exchanging horses after each lap. In contrast to the extreme bronc and bull riding events is the entertaining 3-person Businessmen’s Ribbon Roping event. The first team member must rope the calf, and the second holds the calf, while the third team member grabs the ribbon from the calf’s tail and runs back to the chute for a timed event. July 3 is “Little Cowpokes Night” which include a foot race for various age groups of kids.
Rodeo fans can purchase discounted pre-sale tickets for adults and kids at the Lander Chamber of Commerce and at the following local merchants: Lander Ace Hardware, Lander First Interstate Bank, Lander Parks & Rec Dept. and Western Supply in Riverton. Pre-sale ticket prices are Adult-$13.00, Child (ages 6-12)-$8.00, children 5 and under are free. Full-price tickets will be sold at the rodeo ticket booths on July 3 and 4. Gate prices are Adult-$15.00, Child (ages 6-12)-$10.00. Online ticket sales are available now at LOTRA.org using a smartphone to avoid the lines at the rodeo.
For a full Independence Day on July 4 attend the early morning Challenge for Charities Half Marathon, 5k and 1 Mile Race and Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast on Main Street, then at 10:00 a.m. watch the historic Lander Pioneer Days Parade, followed by the annual Rotary Buffalo BBQ in City Park. Join us for our iconic Pioneer Days Rodeo, then end the night with Lander’s infamous fireworks exhibition, this year located behind the Wyoming Life Resource Center.