National Western Stock Show

[1] The founders included Elias M. Ammons, president of the Colorado Cattle and Horse Growers Association and later governor of Colorado; George Ballentine, general manager of the Denver Union Stock Yard Company; and Fred P. Johnson, publisher of the Record Stockman.

Originally limited to livestock from the western United States, the show was expanded in 1908 to include entrants from around the world.

[2] The stock show is governed by the Western Stock Show Association, a Colorado 501(c)(3) institution that produces the annual National Western Stock Show to further the association's mission: "To preserve the western lifestyle by providing a showcase for the agricultural industry through an emphasis on education, genetic development, innovative technology, and offering the world's largest agricultural marketing opportunities.".

The Trust awards 64 scholarships annually to students studying agriculture and medicine at colleges and universities in Colorado and Wyoming.

[3] The Professional Bull Riders (PBR) have had an event as part of the rodeo since 1998.