Cheyenne Frontier Days

SI Staff | Aug 4, 2010

Cheyenne Frontier Days

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Cheyenne Frontier Days is revered by cowboys as "The Daddy of 'em All," the 10-day July event that started in 1897 draws an estimated 300,000 people to the area every year. Featuring the regular season's richest outdoor professional rodeo and and all-star lineup of country music, the event is produced by 2,500 volunteers and introduces thousands of new fans to the old frontier each summer. Brian Bain gets thrown around on his horse.

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Saddle bronc rider Frank McKay of Fruitland, Idaho, is thrown off his horse.

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Hanging on for dear life, Jesse Kruse of Great Falls, Mont., scored an 86 for his performance in the rodeo.

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Tait Kvistad of Crawford, Neb., participates in the steel-wrestling portion of the rodeo, in which he drops from the horse to the steer and attempts to wrestle the steer to the ground by twisting its horns.

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Saddle bronc rider Charlie Kogianes of Provo, Utah, is about to hit the dirt face-first.

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Seeing the face-plant into the dirt before it happens is Cody Peterson of Yodel, Colo.

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Shane Bennett, of Riverton, Utah, wrestles a steer to the ground.

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A bareback bronc rider like Zach Dishman of Beaumont, Texas, does not use a saddle or rein to help stay on the horse. Instead, riders like Dishman only use one hand to grip a single handle on the horse.

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Jeff Chapman, of Athens, Texas, participates in tie-down roping.

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Another rider is thrown off his horse wildly in the saddle bronc competition.

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Rider Jake Halverson holds on for dear life.

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And Halverson's ride continued as his horse threw him around.

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Bareback rider Clint Cannon, of Waller, Texas, lays flat on his back in the competition.

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Rodeo is a team sport, too. Here, riders compete in team tie-down roping.

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A rider grimaces upon hitting the dirt in the steer-wrestling event.

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Power steering for cowboys.

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Blaine Jones from Templeton, Calif., locks on during steer wrestling.

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Just tough cowboys and steer in this competition...no bull.

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This bull might have been spooked by the bear behind it, but his rider was certainly up to the task.

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Bullrider Rorey Maier hangs on for dear life when his mount goes airborne.

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Ben Bates Jr. slides off of his horse and gets his hands on the steer.

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Nick Guy got a little wide of his target but closed down the gap with a leap and a prayer.

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Travis Atkinson is none too pleased with his ride as he goes up and over the side.

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Bareback rider Caleb Bennett.

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Wild horse race at the end of the day.