Our Story

In 2006 the Fair Board formed a rodeo committee to assist with the PRCA rodeo during the fair. In 2008 the Fair Board purchased a new Priefert arena system, with all new chutes, pens, and equipment. The rodeo committee helped build the new arena, working every evening for over a month, to get ready for the rodeo. The new arena was finished just days before the rodeo with the help of Bobby Lane, Randy George, John Campbell, Dennis George, Jon Soll, Jim McCray, and Dennis Mazet. Four of these members are still on the committee to this day. The 2008 rodeo was the first year of the Fremont County Tough Enough Cancer Fund chap auction that was held during the rodeo’s Tough Enough To Wear Pink night on the second night of the rodeo to raise money for the cancer relief fund. Ed McAuslin purchased a pair of custom chaps to be auctioned, and Bobby & Joy Lane purchased a pair of matching chinks to be auctioned. These two pair of chaps sold for $61,000.00 starting the fund.

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In 2009 the committee renamed the rodeo to the Big Wind Roundup, and began a more leading role in the production of the rodeo, and special events during the rodeo. The committee with help from local oilfield companies built a large overnight pen for the rodeo stock behind the bucking chutes, and built a new unloading chute for the arena.

In 2011 the rodeo was renamed to the Wind River Rodeo Roundup. 

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2012 the rodeo won PRCA Mountain States Circuit Small Rodeo of the Year, and was voted top 5 PRCA Small Rodeo of the year out of over 300 PRCA small rodeos. The committee began the Gold Buckle Club to raise funds for the committee. Custom buckles were sold to community members, and the Gold Buckle Ball was started along with the Fremont County Fair Royalty Coronation. 

2013 the rodeo was again voted top 5 PRCA Small Rodeo of the year. The committee started our Military Appreciation Night on the 1ST night of the rodeo to Honor Fremont County Veterans and Active Duty Service Members. We held an auction to raise funds for the local Veteran groups.

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In 2020 our rodeo had to be canceled due to Covid and the severe budget cuts the Fair Board went through. The rodeo committee was informed that the Fair Board could no longer fund the rodeo, and the committee began discussions on how to fund and produce the rodeo without county funding. The committee was separated from the Fair Board, and will produce and fund the rodeo in 2021.

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The last 16 years have seen changes and improvements to the PRCA rodeo, and the Fremont County Fair Grounds facility. To date the chap auction during the rodeo has raised over $280,000.00 for the cancer fund, and $ 14.700.00 has been raised for the local veterans.

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