'World's Largest Outdoor Rodeo': Thousands flock to return of Cheyenne Frontier Days in Wyoming

Thousands of people once again lined the streets of Cheyenne, Wyoming to welcome back the "World's Largest Outdoor Rodeo" in true western fashion. 

The annual cattle drive through Cheyenne typically showcases hundreds of cattle running along I-25 until they arrive at the Cheyenne Frontier Days grounds. However, due to scheduling conflicts with the steer being used in the rodeo, the 2022 drive was replaced with a bucking horse roundup.

"This is the western lifestyle. The last of the frontier. Great, wonderful Wyoming," said Chad Mathews, Rodeo Chairman for Cheyenne Frontier Days. 

For many, the unofficial start to the rodeo is marked by the cattle drive. 

Following tradition, hours before the horses made their way down a frontage road, thousands lined the path for a chance to see the animals up close. 

"(There are) lots of horses," one kid in attendance said. 

 "This is the first year that they are running horses, so we are really excited," one parent said. 

Lead by Wyoming's governor, General Chairman Jimmy Dean Siler and others, the roundup set the tone for the upcoming 126th "Daddy of 'em All."

 "They are such a magestic animal to watch anyway," Mathews told CBS4's Dillon Thomas. "I think it is a great visual."

While most attending the cattle drive or bourse roundup are adults, there are many children that line the path. Many of the adults first came to the annual event as children. 

"(Children) love seeing all of them. Kids love animals. And watching a kid smile makes everything we do worth it. You can't beat that," Mathews said. 

One visitor told CBS4 that it was her first time going to an event like the roundup in more than 60 years. She stood in awe of the animals as they trotted by, escorted by cowboys keeping them in a group. 

 "This western heritage deal, it's the salt of the earth. It is good family kind of people," said Stace Smith, the owner of the horses used in the rodeo. "This is the Daddy of 'em All. This is the biggest rodeo. This is the real deal where it all started."