History
The Rodeo Association of America, an organization of promoters and rodeo committees, began naming national champions in 1929, using a point system based primarily on earnings. The All-Around award was given to the cowboy who accumulated the most points while competing regularly in two or more events.
In 1945, the Rodeo Cowboys Association (now the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association) began giving similar awards, using money won as the sole criterion. The all-around cowboy award, however, wasn't established until 1947.
The first National Finals Rodeo (NFR) was held in 1959 in Dallas, formalizing the championship competition. The top 15 money-winners in each event are invited to compete, and winnings at the NFR are added to their winnings from the rodeo circuit to determine the champions.
The NFR stayed in Dallas for three years, moved to Los Angeles in 1962 for another three-year stay, and then settled into Oklahoma City for a 30-year stretch, from 1965 through 1984. Since 1985, the event has been staged in Las Vegas.
The steer roping finals are held at a different location. They took place at several different sites from 1959 thorugh 1983. Guthrie, OK, has hosted the event since 1984.