Tucson Rodeo Factoids

Over 1,000 horses participate in the Tucson Rodeo, outnumbering the 600+ contestants.

Over 2,000 cowboy hats are sold at the Tucson Rodeo Grounds during the event.

Over 5,000 school children attend the REACh  program during rodeo week.

A portion of the Tucson Rodeo’s proceeds fund a University of Arizona scholarship fund.

Cowboys love our sunshine – Tucson is the only outdoor rodeo among the top 25 rodeos from mid-September through early May.

Tucson Rodeo fans rank bull riding and barrel racing as their number one and two favorite events.

According to fan surveys, having a fun day out with family and friends is the number one reason they attend the Tucson Rodeo.

July 2008 -- The Tucson Rodeo Committee was inducted to the ProRodeo Hall of Fame for its notable achievements and contributions to professional rodeo.

The terms "Tucson Rodeo" and "La Fiesta de los Vaqueros" are protected by federal trademark and copyright law and may not be used for commercial purposes without the written permission of the Tucson Rodeo Committee, Inc. Use for editorial purposes excepted. 

Welcome to La Fiesta de los Vaqueros

The first La Fiesta de los Vaqueros (Celebration of the Cowboys) in 1925 touted three days of events and competition. Today, the event has grown to a nine-day celebration centered on the Tucson Rodeo, one of the top 25 professional rodeos in North America.

The 2012 La Fiesta de los Vaqueros is Feb. 18-26 at the Tucson Rodeo Grounds, 4823 S. 6th Ave. See directions.

Current and former Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) world champions are featured in each Tucson Rodeo. “The entry list for Tucson could be the ‘Who’s Who’ of pro rodeo,” boasts Gary Williams, general manager of the Tucson Rodeo. “In addition to the caliber of competition and the prize money, cowboys look forward to Tucson because the fans are great and the sky is blue. This is the first major outdoor rodeo of the year, so they’re ready for sunshine, fresh air and 11,000 fans each day cheering them on,” adds Williams.

The Tucson Rodeo Parade is billed as the world’s longest non-motorized parade. This two-hour spectacle features western-themed floats and buggies, historic horse-drawn coaches, festive Mexican folk dancers, marching bands and outfitted riders. An estimated 200,000 spectators view the parade each year.

The Tucson Rodeo enlists over 650 contestants from the United States and Canada competing for more than $420,000 in prize money. The Tucson Rodeo, the first major outdoor event on the PRCA schedule, gives visitors an opportunity to see real-life cowboys and cowgirls display their ability in the only sport in the world developed from work skills.

Rodeo events include bull riding, bareback and saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, tie-down roping, team roping and women’s barrel racing. Also featured each day are kids’ events -- Dodge Mutton Bustin’, when four-to six-year-olds test their riding skills on sheep, and the Justin Junior Rodeo for young cowpokes ages 7-12.

The Tucson Rodeo Committee and Tucson Rodeo Parade Committee, both volunteer-based, nonprofit community groups, stage La Fiesta de los Vaqueros.

Proceeds from the Tucson Rodeo benefit the a University of Arizona scholarship fund,  the Lion’s Club, Rotary Clubs and 4-H Groups.

Order rodeo tickets online beginning November 1, or call (520) 741-2233 or (800) 964-5662.

The Tucson Rodeo Committee, Inc.

Tucson Rodeo Committee Chairman Bill Schurg

The Tucson Rodeo Committee is a nonprofit organization made of up 30-plus volunteer board members and associate members.Its mission is to produce a quality, professional rodeo event, La Fiesta de los Vaqueros, and perpetuate the tradition and cultural heritage of our community.

The Tucson Rodeo Committee began as a working committee under the Metropolitan Tucson Chamber of Commerce. In April 1987, the Committee separated from the Chamber and formed a nonprofit corporation in order to meet the growing demands of staging this large event.

The Committee volunteers work year-round preparing for each annual La Fiesta de los Vaqueros by helping the City of Tucson maintain the facilities, preparing marketing and operational plans, and promoting the Tucson Rodeo and the sport of rodeo at various community events.

The Committee elects a new chairman every three years. Bill Schurg is the presiding chairman. He has been a board member since 2003 and chairman since June 2010. Only 19 individuals have had the distinction of being chairman since 1925.

Gary Williams General Manager

In 1995 the Tucson Rodeo Committee named Gary Williams its first General Manager. Williams is a former professional bull rider and clown, University of Arizona graduate, and former executive at the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum. He was an active member of the Committee from 1987 to 1995 and served as its chairman from 1994-1995.

There are two levels of membership in the Tucson Rodeo Committee, Inc.: Voting and Honorary.

Honorary Membership includes Life Member or Los Viejos, Las Viejas status. Life members are elected to membership by a majority vote. Currently there are two active Life Members: Jim Ronstadt and Louise Serpa.

The Tucson Rodeo Committee supports its mission in part by offering free education programs to local elementary schools through a project known as REACh. REACh teaches not only about western heritage, but offers a positive and unique substance abuse and gang prevention messages. The Tucson Rodeo was among the first PRCA committees in the nation to sponsor the REACh program in 1994.

In 2005, the Committee partnered with the University of Arizona College of Agriculture and Life Sciences to establish an endowed scholarship fund through the University of Arizona Foundation. Annual scholarships are available to eligible resident students entering or attending the UA who are involved in the sport of rodeo.

The Tucson Rodeo Committee funds the program each year with a portion of the proceeds from the annual Tucson Rodeo. The Committee has provided student scholarships throughout its history and sponsors the annual University of Arizona Intercollegiate Rodeo. The UA rodeo club is the oldest collegiate rodeo club in the United States.

In July 2008, the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs inducted the Tucson Rodeo Committee for its notable achievements and contributions to professional rodeo. The Tucson Rodeo Committee and its General Manager Gary Williams were inducted into the Pima County (Ariz.) Sports Hall of Fame in 2006.