The Super Bowl of Livestock Shows

January 11-26, 2025

Livestock you will find at the Stock Show

The National Western Stock Show is a 16-day livestock show held in Denver Colorado every January, hosting over 25 different breeds of cattle and many other species of livestock. With more than 12,000 head of livestock moving in and out of the gates each year, visitors can watch traditional competitions including breeding, market, and showmanship, or those primarily aimed for recreation or companionship (llamas, alpacas, poultry, and stock dogs). Viewing these events is all part of the Stock Show experience and can be done with a grounds admission ticket!

Youth involvement is one of the highlights of the livestock shows. Young exhibitors from across the nation participate in our competitive arenas for prize monies, national recognition for their achievements, and a chance at college scholarships.

Experience the Super Bowl of livestock shows, learn about raising and showing livestock, and witness first-hand the hard work and dedication of local, national, and international exhibitors and ranchers from around the globe. 

Livestock Exhibitors
Results
Animal Wellness
Stockyards Beef Festival
Auction of Junior Livestock Champions
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Of the thousands of junior market animals that compete at the National Western Stock Show each year, only 96 of the very best qualify for the exciting Auction of Junior Livestock Champions. The auction is the final marketplace for the ribbon-winning steers, lambs, hogs, and goats that were raised by 4-H and FFA junior market exhibitors.  Denver’s 9NEWS televises the live auction of the Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion animals where the winning bids have reached as high as $200,000!

The Junior Livestock Auction continues to encourage today’s youth to seek a future in agriculture and to further their education. A majority of the winning bid price goes directly to the Junior Exhibitor and 10% is donated to support the National Western Scholarship Trust.

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Herd Sire Display Bulls
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The Herd Sire Display Area is a huge attraction for cattlemen and cattlewomen from around the world. This open-air display area made up of over 200 pens is located in the new Stockyards Wagner Family West Plaza. For four days in January during the National Western Stock Show, registered purebred and club calf herd sire bulls are put on display in colorful & unique pens. Additionally, several purebred cattle associations, online sales companies, semen distributors, and feed and genetic companies have display tents where they’re able to network with producers. The Herd Sire Display Bull Weekend is a one-of-a-kind event that offers marketing opportunities to a unique niche of the cattle industry. A display area of this caliber can’t be found at any other show in the world.
Open Breeding Cattle Shows
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The Livestock Department processes an excess of 20,000 entries each year. Known as the “Superbowl” of livestock events, exhibitors bring animals from all over the United States and Canada to participate, and we have visitors and educators come from all over the world.

Over our 16-day show, more than 25 breeds of beef cattle along with bison, yaks, sheep, swine, goats, poultry, stock dogs, llamas, and alpacas will move in and out of our gates.

The “Yards” is the only event of its kind in North America and is a Mecca of activity for the livestock industry. Held in the brisk open air of Denver in January, the “Yards” is also home to many cattle sales where the best are auctioned off to the highest bidders. Producers display their livestock in the pens just as they have for decades at the National Western Stock Show.

JuniorMarket Shows
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Each year, hundreds of young agriculturists from across the country converge on Denver soil with their prize stock in tow. These youth between the ages of 9 and 18 spend thousands of hours over a period of months feeding, grooming, and preparing their animals to compete in one of the largest youth exhibitions in the nation. 
 Many of these youths also attend school, participate in 4-H and FFA chapters and compete in a number of other extracurricular activities concurrently. They spend thousands of hours preparing their livestock by feeding, grooming, and managing their animals, all to compete in one of the largest youth exhibitions in the nation.
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Judging Contests
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The National Western Stock Show Judging Contests are some of the most prestigious of their kind and an integral part of the Best 16 Days in January. With hundreds of teams entered in several contests, competitors come from all over the U.S. to evaluate some of the most elite livestock, meat, and wool. Check out our schedule of events to see when and where these contests take place!
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Catch-a-Calf Contest
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Since 1943, the National Western Stock Show has awarded nearly 3,000 calves to young ag enthusiasts. This long-running program is an essential part of NWSS and an excellent opportunity for 4-H members to learn about practical beef cattle management by raising a calf to a full-grown steer.
The program is designed so the youth participants, guided by their designated Catch-A-Calf sponsor, learn the responsibility of caring for their animal and fulfilling the requirements of the Catch-A-Calf program. Participants will raise the calf to showcase at the Stock Show one year later as a market steer.
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