The Snowmass Rodeo is still thriving after 50 years thanks to a strong connection to its everyman roots.
Today, Colorado’s Roaring Fork Valley may be known as a glitzy playground for the rich and famous. But it wasn’t always this way. In the 1880s — long before the influx of ski resorts, designer shops, and mega-mansions — the valley was full of hard-working ranchers and silver miners just trying to make a living.
That Old West heritage shines through at the Snowmass Rodeo — Colorado’s longest-running rodeo — which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this summer. Every Wednesday evening from mid-June to mid-August, 2,000 spectators of all ages fill the stands at the Snowmass Village Rodeo Grounds, located 10 miles west of downtown Aspen and just a few minutes from the base of Snowmass ski resort.
With the lush, grass-covered Elk Mountains in the background, onlookers hoot and holler as cowboys and cowgirls perform daring feats on horseback like barrel racing and saddle bronc riding. Some are even brave enough to get in on the action themselves: Little ones dig their fingers into a sheep’s curly locks and then try to hold on for dear life as the animal sprints around the arena during the mutton bustin’ event. Others chase after baby cows to snatch the ribbons attached to their tails during the calf scramble.
For many guests — even city-dwellers who’ve never set foot on a ranch before — the Snowmass Rodeo evokes warm feelings of nostalgia. It’s a chance to slow down, spend time with the family, and remember what life used to be like in the American West, even if just for a few hours. “They love the simplicity and the wholesomeness,” says Darce Vold, executive director of the Snowmass Western Heritage Association, which organizes the rodeo. “They love having their children get to experience this all-American tradition in a beautiful mountain setting, away from the cellphones and such a complicated world.”
The first Snowmass Rodeo was held in 1973. (The event is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2024 because it took a year off during the COVID-19 pandemic.) At the time, the town of Snowmass Village hadn’t even officially been incorporated yet — it was just a swath of Pitkin County with a burgeoning ski resort surrounded by ranchlands. But a local competitive roper and outfitter named Doug McLain thought it was the perfect place to launch a weekly rodeo.
With $1,200 and help from some friends, McLain built the arena and bleachers in 1972. The following summer, some 1,400 people attended the very first Snowmass Rodeo on June 13, 1973. It was an instant success, drawing competitors and spectators from near and far. And that’s still true today, 50 years later, according to Julia Theisen, director of Snowmass Tourism: “It really embodies the spirit of who we are — a world-class resort, yes, but with a long history of Western heritage. The event is a true icon of our town and one of our most beloved summer traditions.”
A lot has changed in the Roaring Fork Valley — and the world at large — over the last five decades. But the Snowmass Rodeo has remained a constant, enduring presence that continues to keep a key part of America’s history alive. “So many ranches have modified things. They don’t gather animals on horseback anymore, they use four-wheelers — and, someday, it’s probably going to be just that,” says Jim Snyder, president of the Snowmass Western Heritage Association’s board of directors and a long-time local ranch manager. “I can understand both ways, but hopefully the heritage with the animals continues. We’re just trying to preserve what we’ve still got — using a working horse to get your chores done.”
The rodeo is so popular that it regularly sells out — but organizers refuse to raise ticket prices because they want to make sure it remains accessible and affordable to all. A crew of committed volunteers and dedicated sponsors help make that happen.
Many young volunteers and contestants are drawn to the Snowmass Rodeo because of its robust scholarship program. After attending seven of the 10 rodeos in a given season, students are awarded up to $5,000 to further their education. Scholarship recipients are studying a diverse array of fields — like law, medicine, environmental science, politics, and veterinary medicine — but they all credit the rodeo with helping shape who they are. “The people who are competing and working at the rodeo are good, honest people — and they’ve lived by a handshake for most of their lives,” Vold says. “Their word is their truth, and that shows when you arrive at the rodeo.”
Find info, dates, and tickets at snowmassrodeo.org.
From our July 2024 issue.
PHOTOGRAPHY: Sam Ferguson/Courtesy Snowmass Rodeo