Reno Rodeo Cattle Drive Applications Now Open
RENO, Nev. (February 22, 2017) – The vast beauty of Nevada’s high desert. The electric sunsets and sunrises. The unforgettable bond between horse and rider. The cold drink at the mobile saloon after a long and dusty day. The hearty meal with new friends. For the past 27 rides, the Reno Rodeo Cattle Drive has offered this and more to would-be cowboys and cowgirls who participate in this authentic, old-style cattle drive, as they travel 100 miles to deliver more than 300 steers to the rodeo grounds in downtown Reno.
Beginning on Saturday, June 10 in Doyle, Calif., cattle drive participants will spend six days driving cattle as they traverse 2,300 acres on the high-desert range north of Reno while eight, 1800s style horse- and mule-drawn wagons travel alongside the herd, carrying guests’ luggage and supplies. The route, which varies slightly each year, begins in Doyle and travels through Dry Valley, around Dogskin Mountain to the final camp in Hungry Valley before the last southward push into the city of Reno just before noon on Thursday, June 15.
“Our guests leave the cattle drive feeling like full-blown, authentic cowboys,” said Butch Van Leuven, who serves as trail boss for the Reno Rodeo Cattle Drive. “The cattle drive is an experience we enjoy sharing with anyone who will get on a horse with us. We’ve had people from all around the world participate, from country folk who grew up in a saddle to first-timers looking for a deeper connection with nature.”
The $2,000 participation fee includes the guest’s horse, ground transportation and hearty catered meals, amenities like hot showers and a portable, open bar in the evening, plus a quintessential western experience with stunning sunrises, breathtaking scenery, campfire songs, cowboy poetry and more.
“The entire experience is something special, but seeing 300 head of cattle, 70 riders and eight covered wagons hit the pavement and come down through the streets of Reno to the rodeo grounds is quite spectacular,” said Van Leuven. “It’s a truly unique experience for our participants – and for the spectators that line the streets to welcome them.”
A number of spaces remain for buckaroos wanting to take part, June 10-15, 2017. The drive kicks off the 98th Annual Reno Rodeo. For more information, or to reserve your spot on the 2017 Reno Rodeo Cattle Drive, visit RenoRodeo.com.
Tickets for the 98th annual Reno Rodeo, June 15-24, 2017, can be purchased online at www.renorodeo.com or in person at the Lawlor Events Center box office. For ticket information only, call 775-784-4444. To order tickets by phone, call 800-325-7328.