Junior World Finals to Be Rebranded as the Junior National Finals Rodeo Starting in 2025

LAS VEGAS

Las Vegas Events announced today that the Junior World Finals will be rebranded as the Junior National Finals Rodeo, beginning in 2025. The current iteration of the event – the YETI Junior World Finals – will run concurrently with The Cowboy Channel Cowboy Christmas and the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo®, Dec. 5-14.

Now in its ninth year at the Las Vegas Convention Center inside the Wrangler Rodeo Arena, the YETI Junior World Finals features 800 of the top youth contestants 19-years-old and younger competing in many of the events the pros take part in at the Thomas & Mack Center, including bull riding, bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, girls and boys breakaway, team roping, tie-down roping, pole bending and barrel racing.

Celebrating its tenth year of competition in 2025, officials from LVE made it a priority to re-establish the youth rodeo as the Junior National Finals Rodeo.

“The Junior World Finals actually started out as the Junior NFR in 2015, and we have made a commitment to building this event since that inaugural year,” said Bo Gardner, general manager of the YETI Junior World Finals. “As we prepare for the 10th anniversary of the event in 2025, it seems only fitting to return to its original title. Our vision for this event was to create an opportunity for the next generation of rodeo contestants by hosting nine events in association with our event producers.”

Due to the success of the youth competition in Las Vegas, the event has been able to provide more than $1 million in cash and prizes to the contestants for each of the last seven years. In addition, eight former contestants in the Junior World Finals have gone on to compete in the Wrangler NFR, including world champions Shad Mayfield and Riley Webb.

“The impact of this event can be seen annually in Las Vegas for the ten days of competition, as well as through the number of contestants who continue to chase their dream in the sport of rodeo or even perhaps advance to the highest level,” said LVE President Tim Keener.

The PRCA has offered to provide information and other incentives to those contestants seeking their PRCA Membership.

“Providing opportunities for youth to enter our sport is very important. Las Vegas Events has been successful in growing youth rodeo and providing an arena for up-and-coming rodeo athletes to experience an atmosphere that has hallmarks of the National Finals Rodeo,” said PRCA CEO Tom Glause. “December is a time when the rodeo industry comes together, and we look forward to supporting the Junior National Finals Rodeo and the overall development of youth rodeo programs.”

“We want to thank all of our sponsors and event producers who have assisted us in achieving this level of success for the youth rodeo community,’ added Gardner. “They are our future!”

The next generation of rodeo contestants are arriving in town to test their skills at this year’s event. The roughstock events ran from Dec. 5-8, with the Finals for these events taking place on Monday, Dec. 9. The timed events continue to run from Dec. 10-13, culminating with the Finals on Saturday, Dec. 14.

For more information on the 2024 YETI Junior World Finals and a full schedule, click here or through social media at /LasVegasNFR and use #WranglerNFR. Daily admission is $10. For $40, attendees can purchase a five-day pass for the dates of Dec. 10-14.

For more information on the Wrangler NFR and The Cowboy Channel Cowboy Christmas, please visit NFRexperience.com or through social media at @LasVegasNFR and use #WranglerNFR. For the latest ProRodeo news and Wrangler NFR coverage, please visit prorodeo.com or through social media @PRCA_ProRodeo.