The National High School Finals are moving from Nebraska to Oklahoma this year!
Last week Nebraska issued new orders to protect public health and safety statewide due to the COVID-19 pandemic —and as a result, the National High School Finals Rodeo could not proceed as planned.
But as the producer of the World’s largest rodeo — which consists of approximately 1,500 contestants from across the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Australia each year — the National High School Rodeo Association assured that the 2020 NHSFR will NOT be canceled and would find a new venue. The association has delivered.
Just today, the NHSRA published the following announcement:
The National High School Rodeo leadership has selected a new venue for the 2020 National High School Finals Rodeo. After much consideration and weighing multiple options, the NHSFR will call the Lazy E Arena in Guthrie, Oklahoma, home this year.
The 2020 NHSFR is now scheduled for July 17-23 at the Lazy E Arena. The Lazy E Arena meets the NHSFR needs for arenas, camping and stalling. We also appreciate that the facility was one of the first to cautiously and safely host events as coronavirus mandates were lifted, so the facility’s staff has the knowledge and protocols in place to meet local, state and federal health mandates to protect our contestants, attendees, volunteers and staff.
“We appreciate the abundant amount of support from the venues that reached out to the National High School Rodeo Association to host the 2020 event,” said James Higginbotham, NHSRA executive director. “The representatives from each of the venues who reached out had one thing on their minds and that was to put on a safe rodeo for the kids.”