Nearly 500 cowboys and cowgirls have entered the Cattlemen’s Days PRCA Rodeo, so Gunnison, Colorado, will have a population explosion next week.
(PHOTO BY ROBBY FREEMAN)

GUNNISON, Colo. – It’s already a record-breaking year for the Cattlemen’s Days PRCA Rodeo, and the competition doesn’t begin until next week.

There are 491 contestants who have signed up to be part of the 126th edition of Gunnison’s rodeo, a record number of entries. Since the information was released last week, local organizers are working with livestock producer Smith Pro Rodeos to make sure all logistics are in place by the time cowboys and cowgirls arrive.

“This is a big, big deal,” said Kevin Coblentz, the rodeo’s general manager. “That’s a lot of people coming in to be part of our community that weekend, and they’re excited to be coming.”

A few are excited to be returning home. Take Coleman Shallbetter, the No. 1 saddle bronc rider in the Rookie of the Year race. He’s been busy riding broncs already, and his schedule won’t slow down any. He’ll be in the mix for this year’s rodeo, set for Thursday, July 9-Saturday, July 11, at Fred Field Western Center in Gunnison.

“It’s going to be great,” said Shallbetter, 21, who is among the top 25 in the PRCA world standings. “We’ve been going pretty hard, and we’re going to be in it pretty heavy that week. It’ll be a long drive to get there, because we’re coming from Calgary.”

That’s the Calgary Stampede in Alberta, one of the richest regular-season rodeos in North America. Only 30 contestants in each event earn the invitation to compete, and Shallbetter is one of them. It’s a status he has earned already. The 2,000-mile drive will be well worth it.

“That is a great little rodeo,” he said of Cattlemen’s Days. “I love coming home, seeing my mom and dad, the ranch and everything. It’s a great stop to make.”

It’s a stop a lot of his ProRodeo compadres are willing to make. The list of nearly 500 entries includes 24 cowboys and cowgirls who have qualified for the National Finals Rodeo. Eight of those are world champions that account for 15 gold buckles: barrel racer Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, bareback rider Keenan Hayes, saddle bronc rider Spencer Wright, breakaway ropers Erin Johnson and Hope Thompson, team roper Aaron Tsinigine and reigning steer wrestling world champion Tucker Allen.

It’s a strong indication that the work of the volunteer Cattlemen’s Days committee and the community is being recognized.

“There are some great people that have been living there forever, went to school there and grew up there,” Shallbetter said. “They put a lot of time and their money and effort into that rodeo, and they want it to be good for us. They try hard.”

That includes a new look. In April, the committee installed a new set of Priefert bucking chutes. Painted black, they replace chutes that were initially installed in 1972.

“This will be a great addition to our rodeo arena,” said Tyler Hanson, the committee’s president. “It’ll make Cattlemen’s Days that much better for this year.”

The word is spreading. Being a local, Shallbetter knew about the installation, and other cowboys have heard about the news.

“We can take 72 cowboys combined the bareback riding and saddle bronc riding, but we had 120 enter our rodeo,” Coblentz said. “That’s 48 more guys enter our rodeo than we have space. It’s a good problem to have.”

There are only limits in the roughstock events – bareback riding, saddle bronc riding and bull riding. The other events have no limits. With only eight to 10 contestants in the lineup for each of the three performances, the overflow will be part of the battle during Thursday morning’s “slack,” which allows all the cowboys and cowgirls to make a run in the Gunnison Valley.

Slack will feature 34 team ropers and 113 contestants competing in barrel racers, breakaway ropers, steer wrestlers and tie-down ropers.

“That’s going to be a long and busy day of rodeo, but it’s worth it,” Coblentz said. “I think the fine people of Gunnison deserve to have a rodeo like this.”