Announcer Scott Grover has been a big part of the Will Rogers Stampede in Claremore, Oklahoma, for more than 20 years. He’s seen how the rodeo has grown over that time, and he’s experienced why it is so good.
(PHOTO BY ROBBY FREEMAN)

 

Will Rogers Stampede reinvents itself with growth, progress

CLAREMORE, Okla. – This isn’t the same, old rodeo.

No, the Will Rogers Stampede has been reimagined and reinvigorated over the years, thanks to great community support and an ongoing fascination with the cowboy way of life. This is the Will Rogers Stampede of the mid-2020s, a vibrant, award-winning brand of entertainment.

“I’ve watched that rodeo grow by leaps and bounds since the first time I went there in 2005,” said Scott Grover, the voice of the Will Rogers Stampede, set for 8 p.m. Friday, May 22-Sunday, May 24, at RCB Bank Arena in Stampede Park at Claremore. Gates open at 6 p.m., with mutton bustin’ and other entertainment beginning at 7.

“It has grown and matured a lot over those years and had a lot of positive changes.”

Claremore and the surrounding communities have reaped rewards. Awards and honors have coincided with those adjustments. From 2014-2018 and again in 2021, the stampede was named the PRCA’s Small Rodeo of the Year before stepping up in class to a medium-size rodeo. The event was also nominated among the best in the country in 2022-23, even as it became a higher-paying rodeo.

That 2021 event was something special. In addition to the PRCA honor for the sixth time, Will Rogers Stampede was also honored as the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association’s Small Rodeo of the Year. Awards like that come directly from the competitors.

“One of the things we’ve realized over time is that having a better product makes for a better fan experience, so we’ve done the things to step up our game,” said David Petty, a longtime director of the rodeo. “We’ve increased our ‘added money,’ thanks to some incredible sponsors who have been fantastic partners.

“With help from the Interlocal Rodeo Arena Cooperative, the facilities are probably some of the best you’re going to see in Oklahoma and most likely across this part of the country.”

It’s being noticed. The most recent honor came from regional superstars, those who compete in the PRCA’s Prairie Circuit, made up of events and contestants primarily from Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. Voters selected the Will Rogers Stampede as the top large rodeo in the circuit for 2025.

“That rodeo went from a small rodeo to what it is now and has still been able to hold on to the honors and the nominations it’s had,” said Grover, now in his 21st year calling the action in Claremore. “The cowboys continue to turn out. I think the average has been 750 contestants the last several years.

“It’s becoming a very popular place that those guys continue to make sure is on their schedule every year.”

Rodeo is a reward-based enterprise, and the “added money” Petty talked about refers to local dollars that infuse the payout. That money is added with the contestants’ entry fees in order to make up the entire purse. Winners in 2015 averaged around $1,800; 2025 champions averaged almost $3,100.

“This coming May, we’re going to celebrate our 80th year, and with that, we’re offering over $80,000 in added money as we continue to make Claremore a destination rodeo for top contestants,” Petty said. “With the large number of contestants we expect to get, we should pay out over $200,000 next May to help the contestants start their summer run.”

Rodeo is a unique professional sport; there is no guaranteed income for the contestants. They must pay their own expenses, and, on top of that, must pay an entry fee in order to compete. The only way to secure money is to beat most in the field. That’s why big-money rodeos are attractive.

“The people in Claremore are doing everything right,” said Jesse Knudsen, who will be the rodeo’s music director for the sixth consecutive year. “When I first showed up, the cowboy hospitality area was a tent, and now it’s a covered pavilion that can be used year-round for different functions.

“They also want to put a VIP area over the bucking chutes.”

That’s true. Petty said infrastructure improvements continue with what is being dubbed as “Chute Heaven,” allowing for private-access and VIP/sponsor seating that will be new for the 80th edition of the Will Rogers Stampede.

“That’s going to be significant to have that VIP deck,” Grover said. “When you can bring in your sponsors and the people who invest in your rodeo for a special thing, it’s always beneficial to the rodeo and to the overall experience. Everybody wants the best seats in the house, and the people that probably deserve the best seats in the house are the companies that pay for it.”

It’s a winning combination, but that’s nothing new for the stampede.

“Anytime you get nominated or win an award, it shows what you’re doing is working,” Knudsen said. “It shows that the contestants appreciate the hospitality, appreciate the added money, appreciate the nice venue. It shows what we’re doing at Claremore is working and that the contestants are taking notice.”

It begins with RCB Bank Arena at Stampede Park, and the redevelopment of that began more than eight years ago. That year of 2018 also marked the inclusion of the Clem McSpadden Tub Handle Classic Steer Roping, which kicks off the Memorial Day weekend festivities with a Thursday evening competition. It is the richest steer roping rodeo in Oklahoma and among the top 10 in steer roping payouts in the PRCA.

“For me, I’d say the biggest change I’ve seen is just how the stadium has come together and the increased support of the community with the cooperative getting involved,” Grover said. “From the grounds to helping raise prize money to getting more sponsors, the community has done some things that have really raised the prestige of the rodeo.

“With RCB Bank having the arena naming rights, that’s paved the way for other rodeos to follow suit. Nobody bought arenas outside of big stadiums like T-Mobile Arena in Kansas City or the BOK Center in Tulsa. Now, you’re seeing it in rodeo.”

Some of the biggest changes came a dozen years ago, when the stampede transitioned to a different livestock producer. The ball got rolling. This last year, officials made another switch, adjusting to an Oklahoma company, Frontier Rodeo, which has been named PRCA Stock Contractor of the Year 11 straight times.

“Frontier is the stock contractor of the year for a reason,” Grover said. “They’re going to bring their top stock. When you have the best stock, you’re going to get the best cowboys, and that’s what everybody wants to see.”

Some say rodeo is stagnant in Oklahoma, the former home of the National Finals Rodeo and the longtime residence of the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum and National Rodeo Hall of Fame.

For folks in Claremore, though, the Will Rogers Stampede is an experience for everyone.