Deadwood, S.D. (June 16, 2025) – The Days of ’76 is making things better for fans and contestants alike.
Two schedule changes will benefit both groups this year.
The committee is excited to announce that an evening performance on Tuesday, July 22 will replace the Saturday matinee.
And secondly, the format for competition has changed. Cowboys will compete in the timed events (steer wrestling, tie-down roping and team roping) each morning in slack, with the twelve fastest times from that morning returning to compete in that evening’s performance.
The matinee moving to a Tuesday evening show will help with parking, which is always in short supply in Deadwood, said Travis Rogers, past chairman and a long-time committee member.
In the past, with two rodeos and a parade on Saturday, “it was terribly congested,” Rogers said. “By moving the show from Saturday afternoon to Tuesday evening, we can spread out the need for parking more.”
The Tuesday evening show is dubbed Family Night, with a $5 discount on general admission tickets.
The format change is often called “back to back” rounds for the timed events, which requires cowboys to only come to Deadwood once to compete, instead of twice.
Competition at the Days of ’76 is two-head, meaning the steer wrestlers, tie-down ropers and team ropers compete twice. In past years, they may have made their first run on Wednesday morning in slack and then made their second run later in the week, requiring them to leave to work another rodeo then return.
World champion Shad Mayfield ropes at last year’s Days of ’76 rodeo. The rodeo format changes this year, so that timed event slack is each morning July 22-26, with the twelve fastest times in each event making their second run that evening. Kristen Schurr | Courtesy photo1-shad-mayfield-days-of-76-by-kristen-schurr
With the back-to-back rounds, cowboys will compete in the morning’s slack, then the fastest twelve cowboys in each of the three events will return to compete in that evening’s show.
It’s a win-win for both contestants and fans, Rogers said.
“For contestants, they don’t have to get here twice,” he said. “They can save on fuel and travel expenses.”
For the fans, it makes for a more full show. In the past, the rodeo has had turnouts – cowboys who did not compete. They may not have returned to Deadwood for their second competition run, maybe because they didn’t think they could win the rodeo, or other scheduling conflicts occurred.
“This should alleviate the turnouts,” Rogers said. “We should have twelve cowboys per event, every night. With fewer turnouts it will be a better show.”
The committee is always looking to improve the Days of ’76, said Jimmy Mattson, this year’s chairman, and it’s evident.
“We are the only rodeo committee to have won all three categories for the PRCA Rodeo of the Year,” he said, referring to the pro rodeo categories of large, medium and small. The rodeo has combined wins of 19 Rodeo of the Year awards.
This year the Days of ’76 with full PRCA performances are July 22-26 at 7 pm each night. Steer roping slack is July 20 at 9 am with WPRA barrel racing and breakaway slack on July 21 at 9 am. Timed event slack (steer wrestling, tie-down roping and team roping) is July 22-26 at 8 am each day. Admittance to slack events is free.
The Days of ’76 parades are July 25-26 at 1:30 pm both days.
Tickets range in price from $10-$100 and can be purchased online at Daysof76.com and at the gate. For more information, visit the website.
A saddle bronc rider competes at the 2024 Days of ’76. This year, an evening show on Tues., July 22 replaces the Sat., July 26 matinee. Kristen Schurr | Courtesy photo2-saddle-bronc-rider-days-of-76-by-kristen-schurr
–Days of ’76