The National Western Stock Show has been one of Denver’s proud traditions since 1906. Each year, the event pulls nearly 700,000 participants and attendees who travel from all across the world for the event’s 30 rodeos, 11 horse shows and several other attractions.
The tradition began in earnest in 1906 after Elias M. Ammons, a Douglas County rancher and would-be governor, proposed a stock show be held in January. The Denver Union Stock Yard Company and Record-Stockman, two major players in Colorado business at the time, threw their support behind the show, and work began in July 1905. The show was held next to the stockyards in northeast Denver, where 351 animals were displayed.
More recently, and despite freezing cold temperatures, over 670,000 made it to the 2024 show. At the time of writing, numbers look strong for this frigid year as well, with a record-breaking 60,000 in attendance on the show’s first day.
A standout feature of each year’s show is the Junior Livestock Auction, at which eager customers bid on the 96 best animals raised by youths aged 9 to 19. Single animal bids have reached as high as $200,000 in the past, and the 2024 auction earned over $1.3 million.10% of these earnings go to the National Western Scholarship Trust.
Wheat Ridge City Councilor Amanda Weaver has close ties and a long history with the stock show. As the owner of 5 Fridges Farm, a 13 acre space on 38th Avenue, one of her favorite parts of the show is the opportunity to connect with fellow ranchers and farmers.
“Even though I have a 13 acre farm in the middle of the city, I still have a lot in common with people who are ranching thousands of acres,” says Weaver. “We all worry about our animals, they’re dealing with the same snowstorms as us. There’s just a lot of common speak around people with animals.”
Weaver lists the pro rodeo and the national fiddle championships as a few can’t-miss events.
The stock show is an important piece of Denver history – a taste of one of the western United States’ foundational industries. Weaver urges folks to give the show a chance, even if ranching and animals aren’t their thing.
“I had lived in Denver for 12 years and never went to the stock show. I figured it was just a cowboy thing. But the first time I went, I sort of fell in love with all the different things that come together there,” Weaver says.
The number of volunteers at the stock show has expanded to around 1,000 over the years, but help is always needed. Volunteers have a unique opportunity to experience the show behind-the-scenes, work with animals and earn tickets to main show events. The first orientation for next year’s show will be held on March 25th. Interested potential volunteers can sign up at https://nationalwestern.com/volunteers/.
