Scottsdale does not have to wait for spring to lean into its western reputation. Rodeo Scottsdale is back at WestWorld Sept. 11-13, bringing three days of professional rodeo competition, music and a spotlight on some of the sport’s youngest competitors.
That alone would be enough to keep the boots polished and the hats tilted, but this fall edition has a little extra weight to it. It is only the third year for the September rodeo, which gives Scottsdale a second shot at the tradition that has been part of the city since 1953 and is set to return for its 74th year next March. In other words, the town has managed to turn one rodeo into a season.
Dave Alford, who manages Rodeo Scottsdale and the Scottsdale Rodeo Museum, said the event carries a family legacy as well as a public one. Alford is a fourth-generation Scottsdale cowboy, and he said, “Rodeo has been part of my family for generations, so it's incredibly rewarding to see this tradition continue to grow.” That is the kind of line that sounds sentimental until you remember rodeo is one of the few places where heritage, competition and a crowd all show up in the same arena and nobody has to pretend it is subtle.
The event is sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and will feature all eight PRCA events: bull riding, saddle bronc riding, bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping, tie-down roping, barrel racing and breakaway roping. That is a full slate, not a sampler.
The weekend also serves a practical purpose beyond the spectacle. Organizers say it will be the final national qualifying event for the Junior National Finals Rodeo, giving young competitors a last chance to chase championship spots and a share of an additional $6,000 bonus purse. For the next generation, that makes this more than a local tradition. It is a pressure point.
Scottsdale has always been happy to market itself as the West's Most Western Town. This weekend, it gets to prove the slogan still has some dust on it. As ever, the horses do the talking and the calendar does the bragging.
