Cody Nite Rodeo Preps for Final Weekend of the Summer

THE CODY NITE RODEO’S SEASON IS NEARING AN END. THIS WEEKEND WILL CULMINATE OVER 80 YEARS OF BRONC RIDING, CALF ROPING, BULL RIDING AND MUCH MORE. IT HAS BEEN A RECORD YEAR AS MO BETTA RODEO COMPANY AD THE TATE FAMILY CONTINUE TO MAKE HISTORY. OUR OWN WENDY CORR CAUGHT UP WITH MEMBERS OF THE RODEO MAURY TATE OF MO BETTER RODEO COMPANY AND MIKE DARBY OF THE CODY STAMPEDE BOARD.

MAURY TATE TALKS ABOUT HOW THE TOP TEN PER EVENT GET INTO THE FINALS AND WHAT THE QUALIFICATIONS ARE TO DO SO.

“EVERY NIGHT KIDS ENTER, THEY GET POINTS BASED ON WHERE THEY PLACED. THEN AT THE END OF THE YEAR THE TOP TEN THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE SUMMER ARE THE ONES THAT QUALIFY FOR OUR FINALS. IT’S CUMULATIVE AND THEY HAVE TO GO TO SO MANY PERFORMANCES TO BE ABLE TO COME COMPETE IN THE FINALS AND ITS WORKED VERY WELL. THIS LAST TWO WEEKS WE’VE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE COMING IN, STAYING AND ENTERING EVERY NIGHT TRYING TO GET ENOUGH POINTS TO GET INTO THE FINALS,” SAYS TATE.

NIGHTLY RODEO HAS PUT ITS SIGNATURE ON THE TOWN OF CODY AND MIKE DARBY EXPLAINS HOW THAT HAS HAD A RIPPLE EFFECT ON THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.

YOU KNOW IT HELPS KEEP TOURISTS IN TOWN OVER NIGHT. GIVES THEM A REASON TO STAY IN TOWN AND THAT LENDS MORE BUSINESS TO OUR RESTAURANTS, HOTELS, OUR SHOPS AND THE DOLLARS THEY LEAVE HERE TRICKLE DOWN THROUGH OUR ECONOMY AND LAST THE WHOLE YEAR. THESE TOURISTS ALSO HELP AFFORD US THE INFRASTRUCTURE OUR RESTAURANTS AND A LOT OF THE AMENITIES THAT WE AS CODY LOCALS APPRECIATE THE WHOLE YEAR,” SAYS DARBY.

THIS WEEKEND WILL FEATURE THE BEST OF THE BEST AND MAURY TATE SAYS THIS IS THE WEEKEND TO GO.

“WE BRING OUR BEST STOCK IN FOR IT AND THE STOCK THAT HAS BEEN THE BEST THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER AND PAIR THEM WITH OUR BEST RIDERS SO WE’VE TRIED TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE’S THERE’S SOME EXCITEMENT WITH WHAT WE DO WITH OUR GRAND ENTRY AND EVERYTHING THAT WE’VE DONE, AND I THINK WE’VE DONE THAT. IT’S EVIDENT, WE HAVE FAMILIES COMING IN TO WATCH THEIR KIDS FROM ARIZONA, FROM TEXAS, REALLY FROM ALL OVER TO WATCH THEIR KIDS COMPETE,” SAID TATE.

80 YEARS HAVE COME AND GONE BUT AS MIKE DARBY EXPLAINS, THE STAMPEDE BOARD IS ALREADY PREPARING FOR NEXT YEAR.

“WE’RE ACTUALLY PLANNING FOR NEXT YEAR ALREADY. LOOKING FORWARD TO GOING TO THE NFR AND MEETING SOME NEW ACTS AND THINGS IN OUR CONTRACT PERSONNEL, PICKING UP ON NEW IDEAS TO IMPLEMENT FOR THE NEXT YEAR,” SAID DARBY.

THE CODY NIGHT RODEO’S 80TH SEASON CONCLUDES THIS THURSDAY, FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. THE TOP TEN IN EACH EVENT WILL COMPETE FOR THEIR SHARE OF 45 THOUSAND DOLLARS AND THE TITLE OF CODY NITE RODEO CHAMPION. GATES OPEN AND 7 WITH THE FINALS BEGINNING AT 8PM EACH NIGHT.