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It was nine years ago when the juniors first stepped on
the same dirt as their idols. Not a full-blown rodeo for
the juniors until three years ago, the JrNFR is quickly
garnering the attention of the top competitors moving
up the ranks. Several of the timed event qualifiers got
their start in the junior events and are now part of the
top 15 competitors. It all began with Bo Gardner in
his first year as the vice president for marketing at Las
Vegas Events.

“The first year was a bunch of different events: trick
riders, mounted shooting, clown acts, just a bunch of
random stuff,” said Steve Goedert, PRCA announcer.
“The first couple of years they were just trying to get
a feel for it and the direction it would go. The entire
basis of the idea for Bo was that he wanted a spot for
people to come watch an event while enjoying all that
Cowboy Christmas has to offer.”
The rough stock might be miniature sized, but they
lack nothing when it comes to performance. Unlike the
regular NFR, the juniors also compete in breakaway
roping, both the girls and boys.

“Bo wanted to make a platform for the next generation
of rodeo athletes to perform and incentive to bring
them to Vegas with their friends and family,” Goedert
said. “One of the great aspects of our arena is that it
is upstairs in the convention center. This allows a new
group of people every hour to come through.”

The first five days of the JrNFR are dedicated to the
rough stock events, with four days of preliminary rounds
and one championship performance. The last five days
are for the timed events. Spectators can watch the first
performances of both the rough stock and timed events
for free. However, for a small fee, spectators can watch
juniors be crowned world champions.

“One hundred percent of the proceeds from the
championship round go right back to the kids,”
Goedert said. “For Pat Christensen and Bo, this is not
a for-profit deal that they are capitalizing on. They are
100% behind the next generation of rodeo, it is for the
kids and parents.”

Held on the second floor of the convention center, the
logistics of the JrNFR are truly a work of art. Dwayne
Laduke, the man at the wheel, has heaps of experience
that make the whole second-floor movement of cattle,
horses and kids run smoothly.

Lit up like the real thing, the JrNFR has the jumbotron,
a packed stadium, everything the older generation has.
The goal is to showcase the next generation of rodeo
super stars.

“It is quite the elite group of kids that compete here,”
Goedert explained. “For me, it is an opportunity
for these kids to get ready for the next level of
performance and spur them into the dedication they
need to succeed.” ª
Taylor McNair, Miss Rodeo Mississippi 2018, Miss Rodeo
America 2019. Photo by Las Vegas Image Studio. Rodeo LIFE 11