AP Reports: Cheyenne Frontier Days Cancelled
The Associated Press is reporting that the 2020 Cheyenne Frontier Days has been cancelled.
It's the first time the event, billed as the world’s largest outdoor rodeo and called the "Daddy of them All", has been cancelled in 124 years.
Ticket holders can either seek a refund or get credit towards 2021 tickets.
Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon later confirmed the cancellation, as well as those for other rodeos and events across the state during a Wednesday press conference.
"Simply having these events doesn't guarantee folks will come or that if they do they won’t get sick afterwards," Gordon said.
"No matter how we tried to find solutions collectively, we recognize the challenges are exceptional and the risk of failure could set these rodeos back for years to come."
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Cheyenne Frontier Days officials had planned to try and make the event work if possible.
“This has been an incredibly difficult decision, but in the end, it was the only choice,” said Cheyenne Frontier Day CEO Tom Hirsig in a press release.
General Chairman Jimmy Dean Siler added: “The health and safety of our fans, volunteers, contestants, first responders, healthcare workers and everyone in our community is the only thing that matters right now. The only responsible decision was to put their safety first."
Scheduled to perform July 20-29 were country superstars Blake Shelton, Eric Church, Thomas Rhett and more. The two-week event usually draws more than 140,000 attendees.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.