Volunteers Pride Themselves on Driving Cheyenne Frontier Days’ Success

The work of around 3,000 individuals from CFD’s nine committees makes the 10-day event a must-visit for any rodeo supporter or western culture aficionado.

Volunteers, like those seen here helping work the Cheyenne Frontier Days Challenge Rodeo, guarantee the events success each year. In all, more than 3,000 volunteers work on nine committees that oversee all aspects of the rodeo. / Photo courtesy of Cheyenne Frontier Days

The first bucking chute gate won’t open for another two and a half hours, but for Linda Yetter there is much to discuss. 

On the front porch of the Cheyenne Frontier Days Public Relations Committee headquarters, Yetter is leading a meeting with about 20 other volunteer leaders, each who have their own focused areas of responsibility. 

Discussion of badge scanning protocol is still being refined. There’s an emphasis on making sure water is readily available to combat the July heat. Someone notes they spoke with a fellow committee member who is unable to work this year because of health reasons, but he’s doing well. 

More than three decades ago, Yetter started her journey as a volunteer with CFD. Her first role was as a Howdy Folks greeter, helping visitors navigate the park. Since then, she’s had lunch with Brooks and Dunn, helped oversee Make-A-Wish opportunities and made sure countless performances have gone off without issue.  

Now, she couldn’t imagine spending the last full week in July doing anything else. 

“Once you get into it, it just gets into your blood. For me, it’s not something I could walk away from,” Yetter said. “Giving back to the community and there’s some really cool experiences I myself have been fortunate to have. There are just things that keep you coming back.”

And Yetter isn’t alone. 

The nine committees that make Cheyenne Frontier Days possible are Concessions, Contract Acts, Grounds, Indians, Military, Operations, Parades, Public Relations and Rodeo. / Photo courtesy of Cheyenne Frontier Days

Today, around 3,000 volunteers comprise the nine committees who oversee every detail of the event. These committees – Concessions, Contract Acts, Grounds, Indians, Military, Operations, Parades, Public Relations and Rodeo – are responsible for all facets of CFD, from entering contestants to loading pancake batter into cement mixers for free breakfast events that will feed nearly 10,000 people in a day.

Counting the pre-rodeo cattle drive, slack runs, park setup and the competition itself, CFD’s official activities take up almost half the month of July, but prep work is ongoing throughout the year. 

It’s an undertaking that still leaves Tom Hirsig in awe. Long before he began his role as Frontier Days CEO in January 2015, Hirsig’s connection to the annual event was generationally rooted. His great, great uncle was among the founding members. His father was the arena director for nearly four decades. Hirsig pushed calves back to the pen as a child during performances. And in 2002, he was fortunate enough to capture a steer roping championship at his hometown rodeo. 

Hirsig always had an appreciation for all the behind-the-scenes work because he'd seen it and been a part of it. But it’s an appreciation that has only grown since taking on the leadership role. 

“About two days before the show, this park just transforms. It’s not a coordinated effort where we have one person that just lines this up. Just all the volunteer groups know what they need to get done for the show – and they get it done,” Hirsig said. “If I had to worry about every little detail that was out here, I couldn’t do it. It’s impossible. It would take a staff of 500 people, but the volunteers know those details.”

Make no mistake, the work can be arduous and time consuming. Shortly after the rodeo ends, there will be meetings to review how things went and start planning for the next year. The volunteers are asked to take part in work days at the complex during the offseason to get things in order. 

But it’s ultimately an equal balance of effort and reward. 

The sizable duties of CFD's nine committees include everything from organizing concerts to making more than 10,000 pancakes in a single morning. / Photo courtesy of Cheyenne Frontier Days

Christina Mayle showed that to her sister-in-law last year. She came to Cheyenne from Las Vegas for a visit during Frontier Days, and joined Mayle and her husband as volunteers with Contract Acts. Mayle’s sister-in-law didn’t understand the commitment of being at the park before sunrise to work catering for the committee, a job which doesn’t end until the concert is over. 

The result – Mayle’s sister-in-law is coming back to Cheyenne this year for another round. Like the other 3,000 volunteers, she was hooked. It’s something Mayle couldn't verbally define, it just has to be experienced. 

“About mid-week we’re like, ‘Why are we doing this? We volunteered for this?’ But as you do it, it becomes so much fun. It gives you a whole different perspective of everything and all the work that everybody does and all these different committees that are families,” Mayle said. “It’s definitely one of those things where you can put in as much time or as little time as you want, but you can get so much out of it.”