Cheyenne Frontier Days was my first experience shooting a rodeo. But to say that CFD is just a rodeo is understating the “Daddy of ’em All.” It’s billed as a celebration of western culture, and it lives up to that description. For ten days, Cheyenne is drastically transformed from a sleepy western city into a booming tourist destination where cowboy hats are the norm. CFD is a very visually diverse event for a photographer. Aside from the rodeo there are events and opportunities for great pictures every day. Downtown pancake breakfasts, parades, the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and nightly concerts are just some of the events I had the opportunity to cover this year away from the daily rodeo action. Here is part one of a two-part series featuring 42 of my favorites from Cheyenne Frontier Days. I will post part two on Thursday along with more of my reflections on the assignment.
![Cheyenne Frontier Days Slack Tie-Down Roping Jack Osborn, left, 10, and Brayden Wiesen, 11, take a break towards the end of the day inside of a chute during the first go of slack tie-down roping on Wednesday, July 20, 2011, at Frontier Park. Several youngsters including the two funneled cattle into chute 9 from 8 a.m. to about noon for slack tie-down roping.](https://www.brosher.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/CFD_0001.jpg)
![Cheyenne Frontier Days Slack Tie-Down Roping Matt Kenney from Onawa, Iowa hops off his horse and chases down a calf after he roped it during the first go of slack tie-down roping on Wednesday, July 20, 2011, at Frontier Park.](https://www.brosher.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/CFD_0002.jpg)
![Cheyenne Frontier Days Cattle Drive Ken Willis, of Cheyenne, listens to a conversation during a chuckwagon breakfast before the start of the Cheyenne Frontier Days cattle drive on Sunday, July 17, 2011, north of Cheyenne. Willis was serving coffee during the breakfast.](https://www.brosher.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/CFD_0003.jpg)
![Cheyenne Frontier Days Cattle Drive A man who would only identify himself as Stovepipe leans against a gate as he watches as some 550 head of cattle are driven into stalls on Sunday, July 17, 2011, at Frontier Park in Cheyenne during the Cheyenne Frontier Days cattle drive.](https://www.brosher.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/CFD_0004.jpg)
![Cheyenne Frontier Days Cattle Drive Cattle make their way into stalls during the Cheyenne Frontier Days cattle drive on Sunday, July 17, 2011, at Frontier Park in Cheyenne. Some 500 head of cattle were driven from a pasture four miles north of town to the stalls at Frontier Park on Sunday morning.](https://www.brosher.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/CFD_0005.jpg)
![Cheyenne Frontier Days Cattle Drive Cowboys drive 550 head of cattle across a pasture during the Cheyenne Frontier Days cattle drive on Sunday, July 17, 2011, north of Cheyenne. The hands drove the cattle more than four miles from the pasture north of Cheyenne along an Interstate 25 frontage road to stalls at Frontier Park.](https://www.brosher.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/CFD_0006.jpg)
![Cheyenne Frontier Days Cattle Drive Cattle settle inside of a holding stall at Frontier Park on Sunday, July 17, 2011, in Cheyenne. Some 550 head of cattle were driven from a pasture north of Cheyenne more than four miles south to Frontier Park in preparation for this year's Cheyenne Frontier Days.](https://www.brosher.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/CFD_0007.jpg)
![Cheyenne Frontier Days Cattle Drive A man crosses the road with his youngster after a chuckwagon breakfast before the Cheyenne Frontier Days cattle drive on Sunday, July 17, 2011, in Cheyenne.](https://www.brosher.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/CFD_0008.jpg)
![Cheyenne Frontier Days Barrel Racing Jana Kent-Isaac from White Swan, Wash., knocks over a barrel during the first go of barrel racing on Tuesday, July 19, 2011, at Frontier Park. After a penalty of five seconds for the dropped barrel, she logged a time of 23.00 seconds.](https://www.brosher.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/CFD_0009.jpg)
![Cheyenne Frontier Days Barrel Racing Volunteers use rakes and shovels to smooth down dirt in the arena during the first go of barrel racing on Tuesday, July 19, 2011, at Frontier Park.](https://www.brosher.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/CFD_0010.jpg)
![Cheyenne Frontier Days Barrel Racing Sarah Kieckhefer from Prescott, Ariz. rounds the third barrel on her horse during the first go of barrel racing on Tuesday, July 19, 2011, at Frontier Park. Kieckhefer finished the run with a time of 18.71 seconds.](https://www.brosher.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/CFD_0011.jpg)
![Cheyenne Frontier Days Slack Tie-Down Roping Brady Graff from Ainsworth, Neb. ropes a calf during the first go of slack tie-down roping on Wednesday, July 20, 2011, at Frontier Park.](https://www.brosher.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/CFD_0012.jpg)
![Cheyenne Frontier Days Slack Tie-Down Roping Jim Powers from Wapato, Wash. falls from his horse after roping a calf during the first go of slack tie-down roping on Wednesday, July 20, 2011, at Frontier Park. Powers finished with a no time on the run.](https://www.brosher.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/CFD_0013.jpg)
![Cheyenne Frontier Days Slack Tie-Down Roping Chase Johnston from Fowler, Colo. flips a calf on its back during the first go of slack tie-down roping on Wednesday, July 20, 2011, at Frontier Park. He recorded a time of 20.9 seconds.](https://www.brosher.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/CFD_0014.jpg)
![Cheyenne Frontier Days Slack Tie-Down Roping A spectator watches the action from behind a fence during the first go of slack tie-down roping on Wednesday, July 20, 2011, at Frontier Park.](https://www.brosher.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/CFD_0015.jpg)
![Cheyenne Frontier Days Slack Tie-Down Roping A participant warms up with a few practice throws of his lasso during the first go of slack tie-down roping on Wednesday, July 20, 2011, at Frontier Park.](https://www.brosher.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/CFD_0016.jpg)
![Cheyenne Frontier Days Preparation John Finical of Theatrical Media Services from Omaha, Neb. puts a translucent gel on a stage light as he and other workers prepare the stage for the Cheyenne Frontier Days night shows on Thursday, July 21, 2011, at Frontier Park. The stage has 180 lights plus several specialty lights drawing some 600 amps, according to Finical. Workers and volunteers were using a lighting diagram to place colored gels in the correct formation for Jason Aldeanâs show.](https://www.brosher.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/CFD_0017.jpg)
![Cheyenne Frontier Days Steer Roping Emily Underwood, 17, bottom pesters Tao Allen, 9, left, Tug Allen, 11, and Marcus Cole, 8, as they offer her their hats behind chute 9 during Cheyenne Frontier Days steer roping on Friday, July 22, 2011, at Frontier Park.](https://www.brosher.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/CFD_0018.jpg)
![Cheyenne Frontier Days Steer Roping A spectator walks through a tunnel that connects the Frontier Park infield to the parking lot during Cheyenne Frontier Days steer roping on Friday, July 22, 2011, at Frontier Park.](https://www.brosher.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/CFD_0019.jpg)
![Cheyenne Frontier Days Steer Roping Jett Fisher, 5, sets watches the action with his father, Vin Fisher, left, and friend Ken Rockenbach during Cheyenne Frontier Days steer roping on Friday, July 22, 2011, at Frontier Park. The Fishers are from Andrews, Texas.](https://www.brosher.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/CFD_0020.jpg)
![Cheyenne Frontier Days Steer Roping A young volunteer looks at a steer as he runs a gate behind chute 9 during Cheyenne Frontier Days steer roping on Friday, July 22, 2011, at Frontier Park.](https://www.brosher.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/CFD_0021.jpg)
![Cheyenne Frontier Days Steer Roping A participant sets on the bleachers during Cheyenne Frontier Days steer roping on Friday, July 22, 2011, at Frontier Park.](https://www.brosher.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/CFD_0022.jpg)
![Cheyenne Frontier Days Steer Roping Slick Ellis from Alvin, Texas, leaves the chute to pursue a steer during Cheyenne Frontier Days steer roping on Friday, July 22, 2011, at Frontier Park.](https://www.brosher.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/CFD_0023.jpg)
![Cheyenne Frontier Days Steer Roping Paul Tierney from Oral, S.D. practices his roping behind chute 9 during Cheyenne Frontier Days steer roping on Friday, July 22, 2011, at Frontier Park.](https://www.brosher.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/CFD_0024.jpg)
![Cheyenne Frontier Days Fort D.A. Russell Days Joseph Langemann from Denver serves a 15-minute sentence in the stocks after he was allowed to fire a canon during the first day of Fort D.A. Russell Days on Friday, July 22, 2011, at F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne. "Your elbows are the worst," he said of the pain experienced in the stocks.](https://www.brosher.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/CFD_0025.jpg)
![Cheyenne Frontier Days Fort D.A. Russell Days David Morgan from Arvada, Colo., fires an American-revolution era Brown Bess musket during a demonstration for visitors during the first day of Fort D.A. Russell Days on Friday, July 22, 2011, at F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne.](https://www.brosher.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/CFD_0026.jpg)
![Cheyenne Frontier Days Fort D.A. Russell Days Jan Manning from Fort Collins, Colo. poses for a portrait inside a tent where he works as a blacksmith during the first day of Fort D.A. Russell Days on Friday, July 22, 2011, at F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne. "It's a hobby that got entirely out of hand," Manning said of his blacksmithing.](https://www.brosher.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/CFD_0027.jpg)
![Cheyenne Frontier Days Indian Village Pat Iron Cloud stands inside a dancing circle as he is introduced by his wife, Sandy Iron Cloud, before a dancing demonstration during Cheyenne Frontier Days on Saturday, July 23, 2011, in the Indian Village at Frontier Park.](https://www.brosher.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/CFD_0028.jpg)
![Cheyenne Frontier Days Indian Village A man known as Laughing Elk tells a folk story to a group of youngsters during Cheyenne Frontier Days on Saturday, July 23, 2011, in the Indian Village at Frontier Park.](https://www.brosher.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/CFD_0029.jpg)
![Cheyenne Frontier Days Indian Village Toni Valdez performs a traditional women's jingle dance during Cheyenne Frontier Days on Saturday, July 23, 2011, in the Indian Village at Frontier Park.](https://www.brosher.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/CFD_0030.jpg)
![Cheyenne Frontier Days Indian Village Spectators cover their eyes to shield a setting sun to the west as they watch Native American dances during Cheyenne Frontier Days on Saturday, July 23, 2011, in the Indian Village at Frontier Park.](https://www.brosher.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/CFD_0031.jpg)
![Cheyenne Frontier Days Indian Village Elizabeth Valdez, 9, dances during Cheyenne Frontier Days on Saturday, July 23, 2011, in the Indian Village at Frontier Park.](https://www.brosher.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/CFD_0032.jpg)
![Cheyenne Frontier Days Indian Village Caleb Her Many Horses dances in a Native American men's fancy dance during Cheyenne Frontier Days on Saturday, July 23, 2011, in the Indian Village at Frontier Park.](https://www.brosher.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/CFD_0033.jpg)
![Cheyenne Frontier Days Parade Legion of Honor riders drive in the Cheyenne Frontier Days parade on Saturday, July 23, 2011, in downtown Cheyenne.](https://www.brosher.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/CFD_0034.jpg)
![Cheyenne Frontier Days Parade U.S. Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., waves as he rides in a carriage during the Cheyenne Frontier Days parade on Saturday, July 23, 2011, in downtown Cheyenne.](https://www.brosher.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/CFD_0035.jpg)
![Cheyenne Frontier Days Parade A family watches as a covered wagon passes the intersection of Capitol Avenue and 21st Street during the Cheyenne Frontier Days parade on Saturday, July 23, 2011, in downtown Cheyenne.](https://www.brosher.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/CFD_0036.jpg)
![Cheyenne Frontier Days Parade A woman waves to the crowd amongst American flags atop an American Legion float during the Cheyenne Frontier Days parade on Saturday, July 23, 2011, in downtown Cheyenne.](https://www.brosher.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/CFD_0037.jpg)
![Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo Bobby Mote from Culver, Ore. rides a bronco bareback during Cheyenne Frontier Days rodeo action on Saturday, July 23, 2011, at Frontier Park.](https://www.brosher.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/CFD_0038.jpg)
![Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo Spud Jones from Tohatchi, N.M. takes a tumble after staying on a bull for 1.8 seconds during Cheyenne Frontier Days rodeo action on Saturday, July 23, 2011, at Frontier Park.](https://www.brosher.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/CFD_0039.jpg)
![Cheyenne Frontier Days Pancake Breakfast Jay Matheson, 13, leans his tray back to catch a wayward pancake during the Cheyenne Frontier Days Pancake Breakfast on Monday, July 25, 2011, at the Depot Plaza.](https://www.brosher.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/CFD_0040.jpg)
![Cheyenne Frontier Days Pancake Breakfast Deb Hottle flips a pancake off a wagon to a youngster with a tray during the Cheyenne Frontier Days Pancake Breakfast on Monday, July 25, 2011, at the Depot Plaza.](https://www.brosher.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/CFD_0041.jpg)
![Cheyenne Frontier Days Pancake Breakfast Members of the Cheyenne Gunslingers stand near the entrance of the Depot Plaza to promote their show during the Cheyenne Frontier Days Pancake Breakfast on Monday, July 25, 2011, in downtown Cheyenne.](https://www.brosher.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/CFD_0042.jpg)
Ron Reason says
These are really great pics! Great variety, perspectives, and detail. Thanks for sharing!
Jim Brown says
Outstanding coverage. I have many favorites.