La Fiesta de los Vaqueros

In this ruggedly stunning region, Tucson’s La Fiesta de los Vaqueros was established in 1925 to celebrate our frontier spirit and attract winter visitors who heeded the call of the Wild West. The first rodeo, held at Kramer Field (now Catalina Vista), featured steer wrestling, steer tying, calf roping and saddle bronc riding. Through the years, prizes have gone from a 750-pound block of ice and “Big Cactus” ham to more than $400,000 in prizes for this year’s event. More than $3 million in prize money has been handed out over the last 10 years, with rodeo athletes including Trevor Brazile, Ty Murray, Joe Beaver, and the Wright family all making their mark. Today’s La Fiesta de los Vaqueros, which played to a sold-out 11,000 spectators on its final day, is the biggest outdoor winter rodeo and one of the nation’s best.

PHOTO: BRENT G. MATHIS