Cattlemen’s Days was treated to record crowds, which was aided by more than 7,000 who packed into the fairgrounds last Friday night. To say the 2026 celebration was a success might just be an understatement.
(PHOTO BY ROBBY FREEMAN)

 

GUNNISON, Colo. – Even with 126 years of history behind them, organizers of the annual Cattlemen’s Days celebration have been unafraid of trying new things.

They tested the waters again in 2026, with the addition of women’s ranch bronc riding, a drone show to commemorate 250 years of America and 150 years of Colorado, and a post-rodeo dance in the arena Friday night.

“Our Friday night crowd was the biggest I’ve ever seen,” said Kevin Coblentz, a longtime Cattlemen’s Days committee member who now serves as the rodeo’s general manager. “I bet we had over 7,000 people at the rodeo. The mass of humanity around that arena was incredible.”

So was this year’s Cattlemen’s Days. Like it has every year, there was the carnival, various livestock shows, the ranch rodeo, a team roping and a barrel race. One July ago, organizers added a mini broncs competition, and that continued with the inclusion of the Women’s Ranch Bronc Riding Championships competition.

“We really wanted that to take off as women supporting women, and I think it did,” Coblentz said. “Credit for that goes to Karla Rundell and Kaitlynn Hayes Wood, who came up with that and made it happen. For a first-time event, I think it went over really well. We’ve had a lot of people tell us how much they enjoyed it, and that’s positive. That gives us something to build on.

“None of what happened this week is possible without the volunteers, the rodeo contestants, the city, the county and everyone who came to Cattlemen’s Days. We have to thank them for what they did to make so successful. Thank you, Gunnison.”

That’s the fun of Cattlemen’s Days. It was developed more than a century ago by community leaders who wanted to bring people from around the Gunnison Valley together. That mission still rings true today.

“There are a lot of people who are dedicated to Cattlemen’s Days, because they see what a great thing it is,” said Tyler Hanson, the committee’s president. “It’s a lot of work, and that makes it hard sometimes. You just have to push through, and fortunately we have the kind of people that are willing to push through.

“Once you see the faces of the people who are enjoying Cattlemen’s Days, you realize it’s worth every bit of the work we do, all the decisions we make and the time we put into this.”

Like most who are involved, it’s more than a sense of pride. They’ve been involved in the celebration in some form or fashion most of their lives, so the transition to volunteerism is simple. When the sun is bright and there’s work to be done around the Fred Field Western Center, they get to it no matter what.

“The people in this community deserve to have something as special as Cattlemen’s Days,” said Rundell, the committee’s first vice president. “It won’t happen by itself. We are willing to put in the work necessary to make it happen.”

Other see the work. More importantly, they take advantage of it. More than 15,000 people experienced the women’s ranch bronc riding and the rodeo, which is a tell-tale sign of this year’s success.

“I have two little boys, and I want them to always have Cattlemen’s Days and know why we put this thing on,” Hanson said. “I hope when they get older, they’re just as involved in Cattlemen’s Days as I am and as my mom and dad are and as my brother is. That’s how we keep this going.”