What Makes Cheyenne Frontier Days The Daddy of 'em All | The Morning Kick, July 17

Cheyenne Frontier Days isn’t just the biggest rodeo in the world, it’s the most legendary. Known as The Daddy of ’Em All, this historic event began in 1897 as a one-day cowboy roundup and has grown into a 10-day celebration of rodeo and western heritage that draws hundreds of thousands to Cheyenne, Wyoming each July. As the oldest continuously running major rodeo, Cheyenne has shaped the sport’s evolution, from being one of the first to offer prize money to pioneering arena formats and promoting women’s events long before others did. Today, it’s not only a massive professional competition with some of the biggest payouts in rodeo, it’s a living museum of cowboy culture. From wild horse races and parades to its iconic pancake breakfasts, the event balances deep tradition with modern spectacle. Legends have been made here for over a century, and for many cowboys, winning Cheyenne is a career-defining moment.