By Parker Anderson

In 1888 the small town of Prescott was planning a four-day July 4^th celebration and was looking for something to bring visitors to town and keep them there for the duration.  Ultimately, they decided on a “cowboy tournament” which would consist of bronc-riding and cattle-roping contests. This was Prescott’s first rodeo, which has been held over the Fourth of July every year since. Itis the world’s oldest rodeo. That fateful year of 1888, the “tournament” was held around where Forbing Park is today.

An excerpt of coverage from the Arizona Weekly Journal-Miner newspaper of July 11, 1888, stated: “The next and most exciting of all, was Juan Libas [sic]. His steer turned toward the herd, at break-neck speed. Libas made a beautiful throw with his rope, bringing the steer to earth so suddenly that it pulled his horse over, also throwing him to the ground, but quick as a flash of lightning he was up and again in the saddle, amid the loud and prolonged cheers of the audience, and was scored a record of 1:17 ½.”