RENO, Nev. (February 1, 2016) – For 26 years, the Reno Rodeo Cattle Drive has given would-be cowboys and cowgirls the chance to participate in an authentic, old-style cattle drive as they travel 100 miles through Nevada desert to deliver more than 300 steer to the rodeo grounds in downtown Reno. A number of spaces remain for buckaroos wanting to take part, June 12-16, 2016. The drive kicks off the 97th Annual Reno Rodeo.
Beginning on Sunday, June 12 in Doyle, Calif., cattle drive participants will spend five days driving cattle as they traverse 2,300 acres on the high-desert range north of Reno while eight, 1800s style horse- and mule-drawn wagons travel alongside the herd, carrying guests’ luggage and supplies. The route, which varies slightly each year, begins in Doyle and travels through Dry Valley, around Dogskin Mountain to the final camp in Hungry Valley before the last southward push into the city of Reno just before noon on Thursday, June 16.
“Our guests on the cattle drive get an authentic, safe buckaroo experience,” said Butch Van Leuven, who serves as trail boss for the Reno Rodeo Cattle Drive. “We’ve had participants from all over the world. Some come year after year; some make this a once-in-a-lifetime bucket list experience. They come from different walks of life, vary in age and their level of experience, but they all walk away having had an incredible experience.”
The $2,000 participation fee includes the guest’s horse, ground transportation and hearty catered meals, amenities like hot showers and a portable, open bar in the evening, plus a quintessential western experience with stunning sunrises, breathtaking scenery, campfire songs, cowboy poetry and the unforgettable bond between horse and rider.
“The entire experience is something special, but seeing 300 head of cattle, 70 riders and eight cover wagons hit the pavement and come down through the streets of Reno to the rodeo grounds is quite spectacular,” said Van Leuven. “It’s a truly unique experience for our participants – and for the spectators that line the streets to welcome them.”
It may seem like all fun and games, but participation in the Reno Rodeo Cattle Drive and support of the Reno Rodeo makes it possible for the Reno Rodeo Foundation to provide support to thousands of children with extraordinary needs across northern Nevada as well as providing scholarships for rural Nevadans to attend the University of Nevada, Reno.
Tickets for the 97th annual Reno Rodeo, June 16-25, 2016, can be purchased online at www.renorodeo.com or in person at the Lawlor Events Center box office. For ticket information only, call 775-784-4444. To order tickets by phone, call 800-325-7328.
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About the Reno Rodeo
The Reno Rodeo is a Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) sanctioned sporting event, and one of the top five rodeos in North America. Reno Rodeo is a non-profit organization made up of over 500 volunteers. This year’s Reno Rodeo is scheduled for June 16-25, 2016. Competition includes bareback, team roping, saddle bronc, tie-down roping, steer wrestling, women’s barrel racing and bull riding. Like Reno Rodeo on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, or for more information on the Reno Rodeo, visit www.renorodeo.com.
