LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — The Wrangler National Finals Rodeo wrapped up its December tradition on Saturday night at the Thomas & Mack Center, drawing the world’s top rodeo athletes to compete for the prestigious PRCA Gold Buckle and a share of a record $12.5 million purse. The event has now sold out 369 consecutive performances in Las Vegas.
Total attendance for the ten performances reached 170,045, an increase from 157,580 in 2023, despite only nine fully attended rounds last year due to an event on the UNLV campus.
Since its Las Vegas debut in 1985, the Wrangler NFR has attracted over 6.6 million attendees to the Thomas & Mack Center.
The rodeo action was fierce, with 121 contestants vying for titles.
World champions crowned included Dean Thompson in bareback riding, J.D. Struxness in steer wrestling, Tyler Wade and Wesley Thorp in team roping, Ryder Wright in saddle bronc riding, Riley Webb in tie-down roping, Kassie Mowry in barrel racing, and Josh Frost in bull riding. Shad Mayfield claimed the All-Around title.
The NFR Experience events, which featured over 110 concerts and 32 locations offering NFR Live presented by Teton Ridge, also concluded on Saturday evening along the Las Vegas Strip and downtown.
The Cowboy Channel Cowboy Christmas, the official gift show of the Wrangler NFR, ended its 10-day run on December 14 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
The event, which included more than 375 exhibitors, attracted 310,827 attendees.
Over its 38-year history, Cowboy Christmas has drawn over 5.88 million visitors.
Bison Creek Interiors and Brit West were named winners of the Best Booth Contest at Cowboy Christmas.
They each received a prize package including a commemorative plaque, social media inclusion, custom profiles in NFR Rewind Magazine and the 2025 NFR Fan Guide, and a $1,000 discount on their 2025 booth renewal.
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