Eastern Oregon Livestock show is now a Cheyenne Frontier Days qualifier
By Garrett Christensen on Friday, June 5th, 2026 in Northeastern Oregon News Northeastern Oregon Top Stories
UNION – For many rural communities, including in Eastern Oregon, rodeo isn’t just a sport, it’s a historic icon, a cultural staple, and an economic pillar. With this year’s rodeo season kicking off, the oldest show in the Northwest is receiving one of the highest honors from the daddy of ‘em all. Eastern Oregon Livestock Show (EOLS) is proud to announce that it has officially been named a qualifier for the 2026 Cheyenne Frontier Days (CFD).
For those unfamiliar with the rodeo world, Cheyenne Frontier Days is one of the largest, oldest, and most prestigious rodeo events in the world. Originally founded in 1897, Frontier Days currently offers more than a million dollars in cash and prizes to top rodeo professionals. Given its scale, other rodeos across the country are brought onboard to serve as qualifying events throughout the season.
In previous years, prospective cowboys would compete in qualifying slack rounds in the week leading up to Frontier Days. Now, a series of rodeos across North America, selected by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) and Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WRPA) allow competitors to qualify based on performance for certain timed events along with other career attributes. As explained Frontier Days:
“In the timed events of tie-down roping, steer wrestling, team roping, breakaway roping and barrel racing, contestants will qualify through a combination of selected qualifying rodeos, world standings and circuit qualifications. Advancement to the semifinals will be determined by performance during the first six preliminary rounds, with top competitors moving on to one of three semifinal rounds. From there, finalists will advance to championship competition, where champions will ultimately be crowned during the finals on July 26, ensuring a competitive field and strong nationwide representation inside the Frontier Park arena.
EOLS Is now one of these key qualifiers, alongside the Central Point Wild Rogue Pro Rodeo in Southwest Oregon. According to EOLS immediate past president Cassie Miller and Arena Director Darren Hansen, WPRA and PRCA reached out to the Stock Show and asked if they wanted to be a qualifier event in the Northwest, to which the team excitedly agreed.
Now with qualifier status, big things are in the works for EOLS this year. According to Miller, registered participants for all events have doubled this year, helped in part by the Stock Show also doubling its added money per event (10k) and adding a second round of slack to the schedule after the Saturday night show.
With the rodeo circuits in the Pacific Northwest having a competitive schedule (EOLS itself already overlaps directly with Livermore CA, Sisters OR, and Eagle ID rodeos), the added money and the qualifier potential have already made a massive difference according to Miller. Not only have registrations doubled, as mentioned prior, three 2025 world rodeo champions, along with a slew of other top 20 ranked cowgirls and cowboys, have registered so far this year.
Keep in mind, however, that this isn’t a finalized lineup. According to Miller, it is common in professional rodeo for participants to change rodeos for a preferred stock draw, due to issues with transit logistics and distance, or other reasons. Also keep in mind that EOLS’ qualifier status is not guaranteed to be indefinite. Nonetheless, the EOLS team is still beyond excited about the volume and quality of cowboys and cowgirls planning to attend this year and in hopefully years to come.
In the meantime, EOLS are getting the grounds ready for attendees and looking for ways to improve parking and foot traffic flow. Union residents, as well as the county at large, should also prepare for an uptick in visitors (and hopefully local business traffic) as the Stock Show kicks off.
The 119th Eastern Oregon Livestock Show runs June 7-14 at the Stock Show Grounds in Union. For more information and tickets, visit: https://www.easternoregonlivestockshow.com/
