What the Silver State Stampede Is
The Silver State Stampede is a PRCA-sanctioned rodeo held each summer at the Elko County Fairgrounds, 13 Fairgrounds Road, Elko, Nevada. It began in 1912, when G.S. Garcia, a maker of bits, spurs and saddles, decided northern Nevada cowboys needed a rodeo, and it is billed as the oldest rodeo in the state. It began as a community gathering and competition for local ranch cowboys and joined the PRCA in 1988. It is usually held in mid-July, often the second weekend, on the "Cowboy Christmas" run, and it is part of the NFR Playoff Series.
Events and Prize Money
- Bareback riding, saddle bronc riding and bull riding
- Timed events: tie-down roping, team roping, steer wrestling and barrel racing
- Mutton busting for young riders and mini-bull riding
- The Ring of Fear, an Elko exclusive in which six contestants try to last as long as possible inside an enclosed ring with a bull
- A parade, kick-off concert, Western trade show and dances with live music after the Friday and Saturday performances
- A free mechanical bull for kids
Added money rose 156 percent from 2021 and totals $15,000 per event. The 2024 total payout was $180,675, among the top 60 payouts of roughly 790 PRCA-sanctioned events. Frontier Rodeo Company has been the stock contractor since 2022, and three performances are broadcast on the Cowboy Channel.
Awards and Traditions
- It is the only PRCA rodeo to award handmade Garcia spurs to event winners.
- The Top Gun Award, sponsored by the Laughlin family, goes to the Nevada contestant who earns the most money over the three days; the winner receives a rifle in memory of Mike Laughlin.
- The Trenten Montero Memorial Award, begun in 2024, gives the bareback riding winner a bronze by Utah artist Jeff Wolf. Montero, a Winnemucca cowboy, died of injuries sustained at a rodeo in Homedale, Idaho in August 2023. The Trenten Montero Foundation supports professional rodeo cowboys whose medical costs from competition injuries exceed their insurance.
- Each year the Stampede honors a local citizen as Grand Marshal and names a Miss Silver State Stampede queen.
Tickets
At the 2024 rodeo, general admission was $15 for adults, $10 for seniors 65 and older and $5 for children ages 6 to 10, and reserved grandstand seats were $20 to $25 for all ages. Tickets can be bought online in advance, at J.M. Capriola in Elko, or at the gate on the day, though lines may be long. Ticket sales for the 2025 rodeo opened May 1 and packages offered a weekend ticket for all three performances, family, VIP and group rates for parties of ten or more. Check the Stampede's website, silverstatestampede.com, for current prices.
Where and When
Elko County Fairgrounds, 13 Fairgrounds Road, Elko, NV 89801, in mid-July. The Elko Convention and Visitors Authority, 700 Moren Way, Elko, can help with lodging and can be reached at (775) 738-4091.
Questions
Is there something for kids?
Yes: mutton busting, mini-bull riding and a free mechanical bull.
Who is the board president?
Pat Laughlin serves as board president.
How do I support the Montero Foundation?
Donations are taken at trentenmontero.com.
Official Links
- Explore Elko: Silver State Stampede
- Ropers Sports News: Silver State Stampede, 112 years and counting
- Travel Nevada: Silver State Stampede Rodeo
Other Upcoming Events Nearby
- Cattlemen's Update - Elko
Elko session of the Cattlemen's Update held in the Great Basin College theater, with dinner in the Reynolds Solarium and updates on cattle markets and range production.
1500 College Parkway, Elko, NV | Organizer: University of Nevada, Reno Extension Official event details - National Cowboy Poetry Gathering
Week-long gathering of cowboy poets, singers and rural community members honoring ranchers, farmers, ag educators and 4-H and FFA members; the 41st gathering carried the theme A Cow Town State of Mind.
- National Basque Festival
Basque music and dancing, wood chopping and stone lifting contests, family-style meals, handball, a 5K run and a golf tournament at Ruby View. Held each year; the most recent dates were July 4-5, 2026.
1601 Flagview Drive, Elko, NV 89801 | Organizer: Elko Euzkaldunak Club Official event details - Nevada Farm Bureau Annual Meeting
107th annual meeting of Nevada Farm Bureau with breakout sessions, an advocacy lab, Young Farmers & Ranchers Discussion Meet, small farms dinner and awards lunch.
Las Vegas, NV | 775-674-4000 | Organizer: Nevada Farm Bureau Federation Official event details - Buckaroo Traditions Gathering
Three-day Winnemucca gathering honoring Great Basin buckaroo work, with big loop roping, doctoring, family goat roping, a ranch horse show and Sunday Big Loop Finals. Single-day tickets are $8 and three-day passes $20.
Winnemucca, NV Official event details
Listing checked Nov. 11, 2026 against this source. Details can change; confirm with the organizer.