From baseball legend Nolan Ryan to Italian grub, this year’s National Western Stock Show, Rodeo & Horse Show will offer something new for even the most seasoned fans of Denver’s 102- year-old celebration of the cowboy way.
“I hope they don’t change it too much; it’s just fine the way it is,” said Harold Zicarelli of Denver as he bought advance tickets at the National Western Complex box office for his family, as he does every year soon after Christmas. “It’s a tradition in our family, and you don’t mess with a good tradition.”
Denver’s annual ode to the West features one of the world’s best-paying professional rodeos, 375 vendors, hundreds of educational exhibits, 15,000 animals and dead-serious competitions in everything from sheep-shearing to karaoke.
The show begins Saturday and runs daily through Jan. 27 at the 100-acre complex. It runs from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. weekends, except on the final day, when doors close at 6 p.m.
Grounds admission is $7 on weekdays and $10 on weekends for those 12 and older, and $2 on weekdays and $3 on weekends for children 11 and younger. Reserved seats at the show’s 42 ticketed events, such as rodeos, range from $8 to $100.
Hundreds of Western youths ages 9-19 will show off everything from rabbits to steers, the latter of which may fetch as much as $80,000 at the show’s auction.
The auction of champion livestock starts at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 25 at the complex’s Beef Palace Auction Arena.
With new events and vendors, an expanded selection of food, and more entertainment than ever, this year’s edition is showing real promise, organizers said.
“I’m really excited about all the new events and activities we’ve lined up for this year,” said Pat Grant, president and chief executive of the show. “There will be all kinds of new things for people to see and do and learn about, and I’ve never met anyone who didn’t love to learn if it’s presented in a fun and interesting way.”
The 100th anniversary show in 2006 brought in many first-timers, and last year’s show built on that new fan base, despite the difficulties caused by heavy snowstorms, said stock show spokeswoman Kati Anderson.
This year’s show features more exhibits and discussions focused on technology, alternative energy, global markets for farm products and other modern topics, while still mixing in heaping helpings of entertainment and shopping.
Also, there will be more for kids to do this year. The events for youths — from toddlers to tweens — include stick-horse rodeos, petting zoos and livestock bottle-feeding.
Also, kids can learn how to care for puppies, go backstage with a rodeo clown and discover the responsibilities of owning a horse.
The show raises more than $200,000 for scholarships each year.
Last year, 74 students received scholarship money to 10 Colorado and Wyoming schools to further their stud-ies in agriculture and medicine.
Denver’s fine-arts community, too, is putting on new boots.
Opera Colorado will perform a Westernized version of “Don Pasquale” from 4 to 5 p.m. Jan. 24 in the Ames Activity Tent.
This year’s show has already sold more than 206,000 tickets, outpacing 2006 pre-show sales.
Last year, a historic series of blizzards couldn’t turn back the crowds, as a near-record 649,637 visited during the 16-day run.
That attendance mark was topped only by the previous year’s event, the 100th anniversary blowout that brought out 726,972 visitors.
For 10 consecutive years cq, attendance has topped 600,000, according to stock show records.
Nolan Ryan, the Hall of Fame pitcher-turned-Texas beef producer, will be the grand marshal of the Downtown Denver Stock Show Parade and cattle drive, starting at noon Tuesday.
The parade will begin at Union Station and travel down 17th Street. Following the parade, a fundraising barbecue featuring a fashion show and Western music will take place at the Wells Fargo Atrium, 17th and Broadway.
Meals are $8. Proceeds will benefit 4-H.
Admission
People ages 12 and older: Grounds admission is $7 on weekdays and $10 on weekends.
Children 11 and younger: $2 on weekdays and $3 on weekends.
Ticketed events: Cost for reserved seating at ticketed events varies.
