LAS VEGAS, NV – The 3rd Annual Vegas NFR Icons Tribute Reception will be held inside the Cowboy Corral on Friday, Dec. 6 at 4 p.m. prior to the start of that night’s Wrangler National Finals Rodeo performance. The reception will honor Joe Beaver, Rich Skelton and Speed Williams.
Hailing from Victoria, Texas, Beaver grew up dreaming of becoming a cowboy. He started roping at the age of five and never stopped. In 1985 at the age of 20, Beaver won the PRCA Resistol Rookie of the Year award and entered the NFR in Las Vegas as the youngest tie-down roper. After 10 days of intense competition, he left Las Vegas with his first world title and the Thomas & Mack Center became known as “the house that Joe built.” Beaver would return to Las Vegas to collect four additional world tie-down roping titles and three world all-around titles. When injuries forced him out of competition for most of 1999, Beaver still made the trip to the NFR – this time as a television commentator for ESPN. He returned in 2000 to win his third and final all-around title. He was inducted into the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame in 2002. He continues to conduct clinics teaching young ropers how to compete and serve as a commentator, sharing his expertise and humor.
Williams and Skelton put on a team roping performance as partners from 1997 until 2004 that may never be matched again in Las Vegas. During that time, the duo racked up eight straight World Championships and also won the average in 2001. In 1999, the pair won six go-rounds at the NFR. Born and raised in Jacksonville, Fla., Williams started roping at an early age and made his first NFR appearance in 1988 heeling with Casey Cox. After that experience he went home and switched to heading. He is credited with starting a new style of swinging the rope in the box, and his style of catching lowered his times and won money. Skelton, from Electra, Texas, made his first NFR appearance in 1990 heeling with Tee Woolman. When Woolman decided to cut back his schedule in late 1997, he joined with Williams. The duo would go on to take 64 victory laps between them at the Thomas & Mack Center. Williams won 28 go-rounds in Las Vegas in his career and Skelton won 36.
Following the reception, there will be additional activities to honor their celebrated careers. During the Dec. 6 and 7 performances of the Wrangler NFR, each of the rodeo champions will be honored on the hallowed dirt of the Thomas & Mack Center. The presentation will include each receiving a 14” commemorative bronze statue and a ceremony to unfurl a banner in the rafters at the Thomas & Mack Center.
The in-arena schedule for the icons is as follows:
Friday, Dec. 6 – Speed Williams and Rich Skelton
Saturday, Dec. 7 – Joe Beaver
Known as the richest and most prestigious rodeo in the world, the Wrangler NFR attracts the top 15 contestants in bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping, saddle bronc riding, tie-down roping, barrel racing and bull riding to compete for a share of the increased purse and the coveted PRCA Gold Buckle. In 2023, the event had a total attendance of 157,580 over the nine fully-attended rounds of competition at the Thomas & Mack Center and has sold out 359 consecutive performances in Las Vegas.
