SHERIDAN — Elite Rodeo Athletes, League of Rodeo Champions will make the 11th stop on its national tour in Sheridan on Sept. 3 over Labor Day Weekend for the very first Cowboy State Elite Rodeo. This star-studded rodeo will be held at the Sheridan County Fairgrounds, making the Cowboy State Elite Rodeo the only outdoor event on the ERA Premier Tour. Fans are encouraged to come early to meet athletes during the preshow meet and greet.

Tickets go on sale Wednesday at 5 p.m. at the WYO Theater in downtown Sheridan and at ExtremeTix.com. Tickets start at $24. Sheridan WYO Rodeo Gold Buckle Club members and season ticket holders can purchase their tickets early starting May 18. [buy tickets online at: http://tix.extremetix.com/webtix/4347 ]

A ticket launch party will coincide on May 25 from 5-7 p.m. at the WYO Theater. The event will feature the ERA’s Wyoming athletes, including bull rider Kanin Asay of Powell, saddle bronc rider Chet Johnson of Sheridan/Douglas, team roper Jhett Johnson of Casper and barrel racer Ashley Schafer of Yoder. Athletes will be on hand to sign autographs and mingle with fans.

“We’re thrilled to host a rodeo on the ERA Premier Tour,” said Cowboy State Elite Rodeo president Nick Siddle.

“Fans in Sheridan and throughout Wyoming have been great to the sport for years, and the athletes are working hard to pay them back. This new brand of rodeo celebrates what the sport is all about, bringing the top cowboys and cowgirls closer to their fans and building the sport for future generations. The Cowboy State Elite Rodeo will be one of the highest-quality performances you’ll find anywhere.”

The ERA Premier Tour will make stops in eight cities, with 15 performances this summer. The inaugural tour features 87 of the top rodeo athletes in the world, representing more than 135 world titles collectively. The Sheridan County Fairgrounds will host one night of the best the sport has to offer, with events including bull riding, bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, tie-down roping, team roping and barrel racing.

ERA was created for the fans, founded by the top pro rodeo athletes from across the globe – and the Cowboy State Elite Rodeo will put the state’s local athletes center stage.

“I’ve always loved riding in front of Sheridan crowds because the stands are packed with seasoned fans,” said saddle bronc rider Chet Johnson of Sheridan, a four-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier. “Bringing the Elite Rodeo Athletes to the King of Cowboy towns will be great for the new tour.”

The one-night payout is projected to exceed $200,000, providing the live audience with a one-of-a-kind high-stakes environment unique to ERA rodeos. This is especially true in Sheridan where the purse makes the Cowboy State Elite Rodeo the largest one-night rodeo in Wyoming.

Saturday’s rodeo performances at the Sheridan County Fairgrounds will begin at 4 p.m.; a pre-show meet and greet will begin at 2:30 p.m. All ERA Premier Tour athletes will be on hand to sign autographs and spend one-on-one time with their fans. Athletes include 23-time World Champion Cowboy Trevor Brazile; 11-time World Champion Barrel Racer Charmayne James; five-time World Champion Steer Wrestler Luke Branquinho; three-time World Champion Tie-Down Roper Tuf Cooper; eight-time World Champion Tie-Down Roper Fred Whitfield and World Champion Barrel Racer Fallon Taylor.