Ellensburg Rodeo

The Ellensburg Rodeo is one of the ''old rodeos.'' It has earned its place as one of America's Top 25 professional rodeos. Started in 1923 with the same volunteer spirit that still ''fuels the fire'' of today's volunteers, the rodeo has grown from a local competition among ranch hands to the Professional event of today with over 500 contestants and prize money in excess of $250,000! Today's best riders, ropers, and wrestlers compete in what many consider to be the best rodeo arena in the nation. The Friday night opening performance starts in the evening and ends under the stars. The Saturday and Sunday afternoon ''perfs'' feel electrically charged by the brilliant blue sky. It all leads up to the Labor Day Monday Championship Finals... the best of the best dueling in the dirt! Surround all this with the fun of the Kittitas County Fair, the old-west hospitality of the City of Ellensburg, and you can understand why in Ellensburg, it's ''More than just your average rodeo.'' See you Labor Day weekend!