Inside Look at the Greeley Stampede: Cowboy Christmas 2025

As we kick off the 2025 Cowboy Christmas Season, I’m excited to share an inside look at the Greeley Stampede. This event is one of the biggest 4th of July rodeos in the country. Chute Help built the Stampede Timed Event Section in 2018. Justin Watada, the CEO, gave us valuable insights into what he considers each year to prepare for this grand occasion.

Preparing for the Rodeo

Equipment Preparation Timeline

How many weeks before the rodeo do you start prepping the equipment (i.e., roping chutes, lead-ups, bucking chutes, etc.)?

The Stampede Arena is a city facility. We collaborate with them months in advance to start the preparation. This year, we brought in 300 tons of sand and reset the bucking chutes. So, the process began earlier than usual.

Holding Pens for Rough Stock

How many holding pens for rough stock do you recommend having behind the bucking chutes for performances?

We just finished pulling all the old arena holding pens. We built 19 new pens that are better sized and able to handle larger stock.

Livestock Management

Where do you keep the livestock between performances?

We have pens just north of the arena. In the past, we had to load them into a semi-trailer to move them. Now, we’ve built a temporary stock alley to run them between performances.

Arena Maintenance on Performance Days

How often does the tractor work the arena on performance days?

Our grounds crew is top-notch. They start working the arena when the sun comes up. They monitor it throughout the day and are the last to leave at night.

Horse Stalls and Arena Dimensions

Recommended Horse Stalls

How many horse stalls do you recommend having in a new facility build? Are they temporary stalls or more permanent?

Currently, we have 150 permanent stalls. I would recommend having 200+ permanent stalls. We do not have space for temporary stalls.

Arena Size

How long and wide is the arena?

Our arena measures 295 feet long and 195 feet wide.

Contestant Participation and Spectator Interest

Contestant Numbers

Any recommendations on how many contestants get to enter each event? How about how many get put in the performance?

We will have more than 900 contestants competing in Greeley. We put 12 in each performance, with the others competing during the four days of slack.

Spectator Statistics

Do you have any statistics on what event the spectators are most interested in? Or any cool facts about the Stampede?

Most of our rodeo guests attend to have a great experience. They know that the Stampede brings in the best stock and contestants. We are currently the 16th largest rodeo and plan to continue increasing our purse to remain one of the largest during Cowboy Christmas. Our arena offers one of the best views for rodeo fans, as there is not a bad seat in the house.

Join Us for the Stampede!

Don't miss the action at this year's Stampede from June 25 to July 6, 2025!

View the Greeley Stampede Website for Details HERE!

Conclusion

The Greeley Stampede is a celebration of rodeo culture and community spirit. As we gear up for this exciting event, I encourage everyone to join us and experience the thrill of the rodeo firsthand. Whether you're a participant or a spectator, there's something for everyone at this fantastic event.

Let's make this Cowboy Christmas unforgettable!