Wrangler National Finals Rodeo Wraps Up in Style; The Cowboy Channel Cowboy Christmas Ends Its 10-Day Run

LAS VEGAS

Las Vegas’ December tradition – the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo – came to a conclusion last night at the Thomas & Mack Center. The Cowboy Channel Cowboy Christmas, the only official gift show of the Wrangler NFR, also culminated after 10 straight days at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

The best rodeo athletes in the world all converged on Las Vegas for the chance to earn the coveted PRCA Gold Buckle and a share of the record $12.5 million purse.

For the Wrangler NFR, total attendance over the ten performances reached 170,045, up from 157,580 in 2023 (there were only nine fully attended rounds in 2023 due to the December 6 event on the UNLV campus). Since the Wrangler NFR’s arrival in Las Vegas in 1985, total attendance for the 39 years at the Thomas & Mack Center has surpassed 6.6 million.

In addition to the rodeo action, the NFR Experience events up and down the Las Vegas Strip and downtown culminated on Saturday evening. Over the ten days of the Wrangler NFR, there were more than 110 concerts and 32 locations that offered NFR Live presented by Teton Ridge, the official satellite feed of the rodeo.

The action on the dirt was competitive and intense from start to finish, with 121 total contestants vying for the coveted PRCA Gold Buckle. At the end, the following earned the title of world champion: Dean Thompson, bareback riding; J.D. Struxness, steer wrestling; Tyler Wade (header) and Wesley Thorp (heeler), team roping; Ryder Wright, saddle bronc riding; Riley Webb, tie-down roping; Kassie Mowry, barrel racing and Josh Frost, bull riding. Shad Mayfield claimed the All-Around title. For the full recap, click here. Video highlights from The Cowboy Channel are available here.

Meanwhile, the 10 days of shopping and entertainment at The Cowboy Channel Cowboy Christmas also culminated on Dec. 14. The official gift show of the Wrangler NFR featured more than 375 exhibitors from across the U.S. Total attendance at the South Halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center – which incorporates both The Cowboy Channel Cowboy Christmas and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Hunter & Outdoor Christmas Expo – was 310,827. Over the past 38 years, Cowboy Christmas has attracted more than 5.88 million attendees.

This year, the winners of the Best Booth Contest at The Cowboy Channel Cowboy Christmas were Bison Creek Interiors and Brit West. Each of the winning exhibitors will receive a prize package that includes a commemorative plaque, inclusion in NFR Experience social media channels as well as custom profiles in both NFR Rewind Magazine and the 2025 NFR Fan Guide. Finally, each winner will receive a $1,000 discount toward their 2025 booth renewal.

Known as the richest and most prestigious rodeo in the world, the Wrangler NFR attracts the top 15 contestants in each of the seven rodeo events.

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.