The 40th Anniversary of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo Concludes at the Thomas & Mack Center with Highest Total Attendance Since 2014; Cowboy Christmas Ends Its 10-Day Run at the Las Vegas Convention Center

LAS VEGAS

Las Vegas’ December tradition – the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo – culminated its 40th anniversary celebration last night at the Thomas & Mack Center with its highest total attendance since 2014. At the Las Vegas Convention Center, Cowboy Christmas presented by Pro Fantasy Rodeo, the only official gift show of the Wrangler NFR, came to a close after 10 straight days.

The best rodeo athletes in the world all converged on Las Vegas for the chance to earn the coveted PRCA Gold Buckle and a share of the record $13.5 million purse.

For the Wrangler NFR, total attendance over the ten performances reached 175,846, up from 170,045 in 2024. The 2025 attendance figure is the highest total for the NFR since 2014, which was prior to the renovation of the Thomas & Mack Center that reduced seating capacity. Since the Wrangler NFR’s arrival in Las Vegas in 1985, total attendance for the 40 years at the Thomas & Mack Center has surpassed 6.8 million.

In addition to the rodeo action, the NFR Experience events up and down the Las Vegas Strip and downtown culminated on Saturday evening. Over the ten days of the Wrangler NFR, there were more than 130 concerts and 32 locations that offered NFR Live presented by Teton Ridge, the official satellite feed of the rodeo.

The action on the dirt was competitive and intense from start to finish, with 119 total contestants vying for the coveted PRCA Gold Buckle. At the end, the following earned the title of world champion: Rocker Steiner, bareback riding; Tucker Allen, steer wrestling; Andrew Ward (header) and Jake Long (heeler), team roping; Statler Wright, saddle bronc riding; Riley Webb, tie-down roping; Kassie Mowry, barrel racing and Stetson Wright, bull riding. Stetson Wright also claimed the All-Around title. For the full recap, click here. Video highlights from The Cowboy Channel are available here.

Meanwhile, the 10-day extravaganza of shopping and entertainment at Cowboy Christmas also culminated on Dec. 13. The official gift show of the Wrangler NFR featured more than 360 exhibitors from across the U.S. Total attendance at the South Halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center – which incorporates both Cowboy Christmas and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Hunter & Outdoor Christmas Expo – was 347,571, up from 310,827 in 2024. Over the past 39 years, Cowboy Christmas has attracted more than 6.2 million attendees.

This year, the winners of the Best Booth Contest at Cowboy Christmas were West of Texas and Crooked Horn Company. Each of the winning exhibitors will receive a prize package that includes a commemorative plaque, inclusion in NFR Experience social media channels as well as custom profiles in both NFR Rewind Magazine and the 2026 NFR Fan Guide. Finally, each winner will receive a $1,000 discount toward their 2026 booth renewal.

Known as the richest and most prestigious rodeo in the world, the Wrangler NFR attracts the top 15 contestants in each of the seven rodeo events.

For more information on the wrap up of the 40th anniversary of the Wrangler NFR in Las Vegas and Cowboy Christmas presented by Pro Fantasy Rodeo, please visit NFRexperience.com or through social media at /LasVegasNFR and use #WranglerNFR. For the latest ProRodeo news and Wrangler NFR coverage, please visit prorodeo.com or through social media at @PRCA_ProRodeo.