The Buffalo Bill Rodeo Committee was inducted into the PRCA Hall of Fame in 2008, a recognition of the years of work it has taken to maintain the Rodeo as one of the premier events on the Prairie Circuit. The Committee is made up of 12 volunteers who plan the event on a year round basis. Their love of the sport can be traced back to their childhood in many cases.
Levi Fisher - Chairman
2006-Present
Justin Thompson - Vice-Chairman
2017-Present
Jerry Woodruff
1991-Present
Dr. Jerry Thompson, DVM
1997-Present
Dr. Benjamin Lashley, DDS
2004-Present
Shellie Arensdorf
2005-Present
Jeff White
2005-Present
Todd Ballentine
2020-Present
John Tucker
2022-Present
Dr. Shawn Murdock, MD
2022-Present
Heather Harwager
2025-Present
The Venue
The Wild West Arena is fixed just North and West of North Platte’s city center on Buffalo Bill Avenue near Colonel Cody’s Scout’s Rest Ranch. The ground itself was once owned by Cody and his family. Documents indicate that this parcel of land was mortgaged several times in the late 1800’s. The timing of the mortgages suggest that Cody may have been improving his cash position as he was preparing to take his famous Wild West Show to Europe. The parcel was purchased by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission in 1971, and the arena was constructed in 1972.
In the last several years, it has undergone major renovations to facilities with the help of Visit North Platte, Nebraska Department of Economic Development, and the Wild West Arena Foundation patrons and supporters. Recent Major renovations include:
- 2018 Chute 9 Building – Located on the north end of the arena – serving as a VIP area for our generous sponsors
- 2022 Whiskey Shack & Merch Booth – Serving thousands of patrons each year
- 2023 Production Building – Meeting space for Buffalo Bill Rodeo Committee, green rooms for visiting performers, catering kitchen, dining hall, and locker rooms for our dedicated volunteer Board of Directors and Committee
- 2025 Beer Shack – New and improved beer serving station located on the South Vendor Lot
The Stock
Jerry Nelson’s Frontier Rodeo Company was established in 1991 and is based in Freedom, Oklahoma on approximately 10,000 acres, with 400 head of bucking horses, numerous bucking bulls and 500 head of beef cattle. Frontier Rodeo Co. is owned by Jerry Nelson, Rodeo Manager is Heath Stewart and General Manager is 8X PRCA Bull Riding World Champion and ProRodeo Hall-of-Famer Don Gay. Nelson makes his home in Winnie, TX where he owns and operates Maverick International, Inc. He has owned a plethora of championship bucking bulls and horses over his long career in the rodeo/bull riding business. Stewart has been with Frontier since 2005 and lives in Freedom, where he manages the ranch and rodeo business. Gay resides in Terrell, Texas and oversees public relations as well as commentating events. Frontier took its first animal to the National Finals Rodeo in 2005. They had one saddle bronc horse, Linda Lou, nominated that year. Since then, the numbers have grown to 20+ head of livestock being selected to Las Vegas for the WNFR. Frontier Rodeo has been awarded PRCA Stock Contractor of the Year 11 times and is proud to be an Oklahoma based rodeo company.
Achievements
11X PRCA Stock Contractor of the Year (2015-2016-2017-2018-2019-2020-2021-2022)
4X PRCA Saddle Bronc Horse of the Year (Medicine Woman 2011-2014-2015-2016)
2X PRCA Bareback Horse of the Year (Full Baggage 2011 & 2013)
2013 PRCA Saddle Bronc Horse of the Year (Maple Leaf)
2022 PRCA Bareback Horse of the Year (Gun Fire)
PRCA Remuda Award (2012 & 2016)
2022 ProRodeo Hall of Fame Inductee (Medicine Woman)
The History
The History of America’s First Rodeo 1882-present
In a small Nebraska town rich with history, there is a rodeo that bears the name of one of the area’s most famous residents. Buffalo Bill Cody made his home in North Platte, NE, and just across the street from his former ranch is the focal point for Nebraska’s official state celebration, NEBRASKAland DAYS, and the famed Buffalo Bill Rodeo.
In the spring of 1882 the citizens of North Platte approached Col. William F. Cody about producing a 4th of July celebration for the community, and with that effort the sport known today as rodeo was born. This is no run-of-the-mill rodeo. Cody’s production of “The Old Glory Blow Out” included buffalo riding, roping and bronco riding. This later evolved into his Wild West Show that brought the real life action of the untamed West to thousands of spectators around the world.
The Buffalo Bill Rodeo is widely accepted as the world’s first spectator rodeo. The rodeo became sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) in 1947 and has remained one of the most popular stops on the rodeo tour ever since. World champion rodeo athletes, queens and celebrities frequent this venue for four days every June in North Platte, along with more than 16,000 spectators who annually flock from all corners of the world to experience the spectacle.
What keeps top rodeo talent coming back? The purse for this event is the biggest of any outdoor venue in the state. Additionally, the competitors also know that when they show up in North Platte, they’ll be treated very well. Cowboys and cowgirls are part of an annual golf tournament with area businessmen each year.
But there’s more to this rodeo than just money – there’s a tireless rodeo committee that has been recognized time and again by the PRCA for the outstanding rodeo production, award winning specialty acts and rodeo clowns, and two of the nation’s finest rodeo announcers that hold multiple world titles between them to call the action. In 2008 Buffalo Bill Rodeo Committee inducted into Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame. Any way you look at it, the Buffalo Bill Rodeo is world class.
Pageantry is also important here. Miss Rodeo Nebraska is crowned during the opening night of the rodeo. Queens from all across the nation, including Miss Rodeo America, annually attend this important event. Famous film and television celebrities are honored yearly for their contribution to western culture with the Buffalo Bill Award. The submarine crew of the USS Nebraska makes a yearly visit, as does our Nebraska Governor.
The Buffalo Bill Rodeo serves as the anchor event in the annual NEBRASKAland DAYS celebration and is in fact one of the main reasons the celebration was awarded to North Platte by the Nebraska legislature in 1968. The Celebration’s heart, and indeed its heritage, is based in the Buffalo Bill Rodeo. World champion cowboys, cowgirls and rodeo announcers, award winning specialty acts and rodeo clowns, and championship livestock brought together by an award winning committee keeps this event center stage in the high energy world of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association.