CHEYENNE — Governor Mark Gordon announced Wednesday, May 27, that the state’s six biggest rodeos will be cancelled this summer due to the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic.

The six rodeos include the Thermopolis Cowboy Rendezvous PRCA Rodeo in late June as well the Cody Stampede, Central Wyoming Fair & PRCA Rodeo in Casper, the Sheridan WYO Rodeo and Breakaway Roping, Laramie Jubilee Days, and Cheyenne Frontier Days, all scheduled for July.

Governor Gordon said they held off on the decision to cancel for as long as they could.

“Today is a tough day,” he said.

Gordon said the decision was not one that was made by the state alone, but was made with the rodeo organizers and associations, health care officials, and others.

“The risk of failure could set these rodeos back for years to come,” Governor Gordon said of the decision to cancel the events.

Tom Hirsig, Cheyenne Frontier Days President & CEO, said these rodeos would not be the same without the events and celebrations that coincide with the rodeo.

Events such as the street dance in Laramie, carnival in Casper, the concerts and carnival at Cheyenne Fronteir Days, and parade in Sheridan are key components to the rodeos.

“All of these are successful because of the lack of social distancing,” Hirsig said.

Hirsig said the sponsors of these rodeos are crucial to events, but those businesses are already hurting. Therefore, they wouldn’t be able to support the events the same as they have in the past.

He said delaying the decision to cancel or not would just mean more money is being sent without a guarantee the event is going to take place.