The world’s largest youth rodeo is returning to Nebraska, bringing more than 1,700 high school athletes, 2,000-plus horses and thousands of spectators to Lincoln’s Sandhills Global Event Center.
The National High School Finals Rodeo runs July 19-25 and will feature competitors from across the United States, Canada, Australia, Mexico and other countries competing for national titles and scholarships.
Wyatt Clark, head coach of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln rodeo program, said the scale of the event is what makes it stand out.
“The largest rodeo in the world is ascending on Lincoln, Nebraska,” Clark said. “Six countries, 53 states and provinces within those countries, with 1,700 contestants and 2,000-plus horses, ascend on Lincoln.”
The weeklong event includes competitions in bareback riding, bull riding, saddle bronc riding, barrel racing, tie-down roping, breakaway roping, steer wrestling, goat tying, team roping, cutting and reined cow horse.
Clark said the event provides an opportunity to highlight the connection between youth rodeo and Nebraska’s agricultural heritage.
“A lot of these contestants have the ties to that farming and ranching community,” Clark said. “So it’s a great chance to showcase what University of Nebraska has to offer.”
The National High School Finals Rodeo was last held in Lincoln in 2021 and returns after organizers made improvements to the Sandhills Global Event Center. The facility has undergone upgrades including expanded RV services, improved arena access, renovated restrooms and infrastructure improvements.
Clark said the event will also give Nebraska’s collegiate rodeo athletes a chance to welcome competitors and families from around the country.
“We’re going to be some of the first faces all these contestants get to see,” Clark said. “So excited to be involved right in the rodeo.”
The University of Nebraska’s rodeo program has continued to grow, with plans for a new Rodeo and Equine Sports Complex in Lincoln aimed at expanding training and competition opportunities.
The National High School Finals Rodeo is expected to bring a significant economic boost to Lincoln while celebrating the next generation of rodeo athletes.