Kats Goes Cowboy 2010

Sam Morris / Las Vegas Sun

Las Vegas Sun columnist John Katsilometes is seen before and after being outfitted for the National Finals Rodeo at the Boot Barn on Wednesday, Nov. 24, 2010.

Kats Goes Cowboy: At the NFR, you have to look the part to run with these bulls

Nov 27, 2010 (3:27 a.m.)

By John Katsilometes

To cover the National Finals Rodeo from the inside out, the outside should look as much like a real cowboy as possible.

Blog: The Kats Report

Kats Goes Cowboy: To Michael Gaughan, NFR is a can’t-miss event

November 29, 2010 (1:57 p.m.)

By John Katsilometes

South Point owner has missed a half-dozen NFR sessions, which is not bad considering the event started in Las Vegas in 1985.
Blog: The Kats Report

Kats Goes Cowboy: Rodeo maverick Larry Mahan is still along for the ride

November 30, 2010 (2:00 p.m.)

By John Katsilometes

Mahan just wanted to collect a paycheck. On Monday, he collected one of his sport's most prestigious awards.
Blog: The Kats Report

Kats Goes Cowboy: Plowing a gala brimming with hats and love

November 30, 2010 (9:19 p.m.)

By John Katsilometes

John Growney and Ryan Growney share the same surname -- obviously -- but they are not related. As far as we know.
Blog: The Kats Report

Kats Goes Cowboy: Catching up with a millionaire barrel racer

December 1, 2010 (4:24 p.m.)

By John Katsilometes

Barrel racing star Sherry Cervi played basketball for a time, but what's the fun in that?
Blog: The Kats Report

Kats Goes Cowboy: Miss Rodeo America comfortable with strangers — human or equine

December 1, 2010 (6:05 p.m.)

By John Katsilometes

Horsemanship, appearance and personality are the traits contestants for Miss Rodeo America will be judged on Saturday at The Orleans.
Blog: The Kats Report

Kats Goes Cowboy: Bareback riders at home in frenzied Fremont Street scene

December 2, 2010 (1:34 p.m.)

By John Katsilometes

Will Lowe and Wes Stevenson travel the country together on the pro rodeo circuit, so when they say Vegas is different, believe it.
Blog: The Kats Report

Kats Goes Cowboy: NFR opens, but will it always be a Las Vegas event?

December 3, 2010 (11:10 a.m.)

By John Katsilometes

The man who brought the NFR to Las Vegas, Shawn Davis, says that in his mind, the event is best suited for our city. What happens to the National Finals Rodeo after the last night of the 2014 NFR in Las Vegas? It’s too early to say for certain what happens in four years, other than the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association’s contract to hold the event in Las Vegas expires as soon as the chutes slam shut in December 2014.
Blog: The Kats Report

Kats Goes Cowboy: A sports book hoedown? Is this a Mirage?

December 3, 2010 (12:14 p.m.)

By John Katsilometes

The Mirage transformed its sports book to a saloon Thursday night, and the result was a happy and loud party where a band played where bets are usually made.
Blog: The Kats Report

Kats Goes Cowboy: We find the elusive $6,000 saddle

December 3, 2010 (7:38 p.m.)

By John Katsilometes

From barbed wire to lavish horse trailer/recreational vehicles, Cowboy Christmas has it all. Put it down in ink, even, with a handcrafted ebony pen.

Kats Goes Cowboy: A celebration of great names as the NFR bucks to a close

Roper Tuf Cooper throws up his hands after tying his calf during the first go round of the National Finals Rodeo on Thursday, Dec. 2, 2010, at the Thomas & Mack.

Updated December 11, 2010 (2:25 p.m.)

The sport that gave us Ote Berry does not disappoint with some distinctive names from this year's NFR.

Time-lapse photos capture a night at the NFR in 3 minutes

Updated December 10, 2010 (8:19 a.m.)

The National Finals Rodeo is well-suited for Las Vegas, which likes its entertainment at a fast clip. During the run-up to this year’s event, officials and contestants had explained that it is quicker a pace than any rodeo in the country, and to watch the percolating 2-hour show play out is to appreciate precision in a sport rife with unpredictable moments.