Downtown SLC cattle drive kicks off Utah ‘Pioneer Week’ and Days of ’47 Rodeo

Gov. Spencer Cox joined crews on horseback, driving the herd to the Utah State Fairpark.

Gov. Spencer Cox, first lady Abby Cox and a crew riding ranch horses drove a herd of longhorn cattle through downtown Salt Lake City on Monday — kicking off the week of the Pioneer Day holiday celebrations and promoting the Days of ‘47 Rodeo.

The Coxes were joined by Days of ‘47 board members and women from the Utah Cowgirl Collective — some on horseback, some in a carriage — in the procession to the Utah State Fairpark, at 1000 W. North Temple, where the rodeo is scheduled to run Tuesday through Saturday.

“This is my favorite day of the year, to be able to ride horses through these iconic locations in downtown Salt Lake City,” Gov. Cox said after the drive. “And then coming here and watching the kids be able to enjoy the pre-rodeo events.”

The other big event for the Days of ‘47 is the parade, the largest in Utah, held Thursday morning, starting at 9 a.m. at South Temple and State Street, then heading south on 200 East, and east on 900 South toward Liberty Park.

The drive, Cox said, is “really special for all of us,” because it recreates a tradition more than 150 years old.” He also encouraged people to come out to the rodeo, which he called “a great family event, not too expensive. This is a world-class rodeo, so [people] will get to see some of the best athletes, both cowboys and cowgirls, and the best stock.”

Rodeo organizers said some 400 head of livestock will be on hand for the event, which they expect will draw around 50,000 attendees over five days.

“We have bucking horses, bucking bulls and calves,” said Tommy Joe Lucia, the rodeo’s executive director. “Over 400 contestants from all over the nation will come to compete here.”

Gates to the Fairpark open at 5 p.m. each night, and the events outside the arena — including a mechanical bull, petting zoo, pony rides, food trucks and vendors — are free. So is the “Fun Zone,” where live music will be performed each night from 6 to 7:30 p.m., and after 11:30 p.m.

The arena gates open at 7 p.m. each night, and rodeo events start at 8 p.m., with a special drone and fireworks show at 10:30 p.m. each night. Tickets for the rodeo arena range from $20 to $40.

Lucia called the rodeo “a humongous event,” one that echoes the celebrations of the pioneers who first arrived in the Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847 — 178 years ago Thursday.

Now, Lucia said, “we are doing the same thing — a parade and a rodeo— to remember those early pioneers.”

Tesi Stegelmeier, one of the six members of the Utah Cowgirl Collective who took part in Monday’s drive, came to Salt Lake City from Preston, Idaho, with her 7-year-old mare, Ruby. Stegelmeier said she’s been riding horses her whole life.

The women in the Cowgirl Collective — from Utah, Idaho and Wyoming — are in a scholarship program that’s part of the rodeo’s charitable efforts. Stegelmeier said she and the other Cowgirls perform 300 hours of community service, and receive a scholarship of $10,000 for their work, to teach youth “about the Western lifestyle.”

The collective members joined cowboys around the Days of ‘47 Arena after the cattle drive, entertaining a group of 35 children from the nearby Northwest Community Center. The children were split into four groups to enjoy pre-rodeo events: Pony rides, roping plastic cattle, riding stick horses through a barrel course and looking at an exhibit dedicated to longhorns.

Only a handful of spectators watched Monday’s cattle drive through downtown Salt Lake City.

“They do not advertise it properly,” said RaNae Franckum, who drove in from Bountiful with her husband, Ken, to watch. “It was pretty big two years ago.”

Rocio Soto, who lives downtown, said she missed the procession in past years, and took a break from work to see her first cattle drive. “I am not missing this one,” she said.

Soto watched the horses and cattle pass by, then said she decided to follow them. The horses were cute, she said, and she worried about how they were handling the heat.

“I wish they would start it closer to the park,” Soto said. “It creates a lot of commotion, and it is a long walk.”