UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN River Falls

  • New Rodeo Sign
  • Falcon Frontier Days Rodeo Horse Rider
  • Falcon Frontier Rodeo Kids Sheep
  • Falcon Frontier Rodeo Students Silos
  • Rodeo Sign Main street

Animal and Food Science

Falcon Frontier Days Rodeo

The UWRF Rodeo began in 1964 by David Stafford who organized the UWRF Rodeo Club. In less than one year, the club accumulated 50 members and plans began for the first annual Falcon Frontier Days Rodeo. Every year since then, the Rodeo Club has put on a college rodeo for fans in the River Falls area. Read the history of the UWRF Rodeo. For additional and current information about the UWRF Rodeo, visit www.uwrfrodeo.com.


2023 Rodeo 

The 2023 Falcon Frontier Days Rodeo held at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls Rodeo Arena will be held September 8 and 9, 2023!

Rodeo Q&A

 All are welcome! UWRF's rodeo is open to the public and UWRF students are highly encouraged to attend.

The rodeo arena is located at UWRF's Campus Farm at the intersection of Cemetery Road and Wasson Lane. The address is 1475 S. Wasson Lane, River Falls.

Tickets for the rodeo are available at the gate (cash only) or online.
Tickets are $20/adults, $15/UWRF students purchased in advance, and $10 for ages 5-12. Free for age 4 and under.
There is a $5 veteran discount.

Tickets are also available for purchase online.

UWRF members of the Rodeo Club who are on the rodeo team are eligible to participate in the Falcon Frontier Days Rodeo. About 1/4 of Rodeo Club members participate on the rodeo team. There are no requirements to join Rodeo Club, and members are encouraged to participate in as many events as possible to get to know other club members and join in the fun! There are, however, requirements that must be met to compete on the UWRF rodeo team. See below.

To be a member of the rodeo team, the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) requires that members are a full-time student with a GPA of at least a 2.0. Any student who meets these requirements and who purchases their NIRA membership can compete. There are many universities that compete at UWRF's rodeo. The Great Lakes region consists of schools from Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota. Students come from as far as Spearfish, S.D., (a 12-hour drive) just to participate in our rodeo! Apply to become a member.

UWRF's rodeo averages 300 participants which includes students from across the Great Lakes region. Barrel racing always has the most contestants, but all events are equally entertaining to watch.

College rodeo events include:

  • Saddle Bronc Riding
  • Goat Tying
  • Calf Roping
  • Breakaway Roping
  • Team Roping
  • Steer Wresting
  • Bareback Riding
  • Barrel Racing
  • Bull Riding

Each rodeo performance usually lasts around 2 to 2 1/2 hours. There are usually three performances run over the course of a Friday and Saturday. The first two performances of the weekend are referred to as the "long go." Every college student will compete in one of the two performances, trying to make it to the "short go" which is the last performance on Saturday night. Students compete in the "short go" on Saturday night if they are one of the top ten scoring contestants in their event during the "long go."

UWRF's Rodeo Club sells t-shirts and other items at the performances and there is a large food stand available with delicious treats.

Questions?


Questions about the rodeo? Contact UWRF Rodeo Club member Tyler Gardner or Rodeo Club adviser Nathan O'Connor. You can also visit the UWRF Rodeo website.

Want to be on the team? Apply here.

Contact Us

Animal and Food Science
anfdsci@uwrf.edu
715-425-3704
242 Food Science Addition
590 S. Spruce Street
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