Sedona, Arizona: Cowboys have been roaming the Arizona landscape with the cattle industry since the inception of the territory in 1864. The cowboy maintains the aura of an enigmatic ranch hand: enduring severe rigors of a job and climatic extremes of the seasons with the livestock they tend, all for the enjoyment of an adventurous, open-ended and individualistic lifestyle.
Historically, wranglers looked up to the vaqueros, or Spanish cowboys, as men who could rope anything that moved and ride anything that bucked - men who could successfully do just about anything from a saddle. Generally the vaqueros tended the stock on the open range until it was time to brand the animals. All of these events required a rounding up of the animals - "al rodear." This was called a rodeo.
The first “contemporary" rodeo took place on July 4, 1888 in Prescott, Arizona. A group of prominent local businessmen and merchants formed a committee to plan the event. The members included Buckey O'Neill, later to become a captain in Roosevelt's Rough Riders; George Ruffner, later a long-time pioneer sheriff of Yavapai County; and Morris Goldwater, uncle of former Senator Barry Goldwater, and future mayor of Prescott for many years,voted “Man of the Century" during Prescott's Centennial celebration in 1964.
The main cowboy events included bronco riding, steer roping and tying, and cow pony racing. Merchandise and cash were given as prizes. A cowboy named Juan Levias walked off with rodeo's first professional title and was documented in the subsequent edition of the Arizona Journal-Miner.
Prescott Frontier Days has attracted more then just local cowboys and ranchers. The 1933 Rodeo saw Andy Devine, a Hollywood character actor, Will Rogers and Jimmy Swinnerton all in attendance. Senator Barry Goldwater was an active participant in the events during his lifetime.
