Documentary to highlight career of Davis

Cowboy Strong – The Man Behind the NFR Legacy in Vegas, a special one-hour documentary produced to chronicle the incredible career of Shawn Davis, will air on CBS Sports Network on Sunday, November 25 at 6 p.m. PT/9 p.m. ET. The program will re-air on Thursday, Dec. 6 at 5:30 p.m. PT/8:30 p.m. ET.

Davis was a three-time PRCA World Champion saddle bronc rider prior to turning his attention to the business of rodeo. That decision changed the fortunes for the sport and Las Vegas. Davis cast the deciding vote to move the National Finals Rodeo from Oklahoma City to Las Vegas. Since 1986, he has served as the general manager of the richest and most prestigious rodeo in the world. He is a 1958 graduate of Whitehalll High School.

Cowboy Strong will further chronicle Davis’ youth, rodeo career and cutting-edge approach to producing the Wrangler NFR. It will also cover his second passion – horse racing and his rodeo family.

Interviewees include Zane Davis, Carl Nafzger, Larry Mahan, Lew Cryer, Scott Stevens, Cody Wright, Cody DeMers, Bennie Beutler, Boyd Polhamus and Karl Stressman. Las Vegas principals providing insight include Michael Gaughan, owner of the South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa, Bill McBeath, president and CEO of The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Scott Sibella, president and COO of MGM Grand and Las Vegas Events President Pat Christenson.

The program is co-written and produced by Executive Producer Jeff Medders of Geronimo Productions. Mark Milosevich will serve as the show’s producer and director, in association with Las Vegas Events.

Sponsors of the program include Bennie Beutler, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Palace, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, MGM Grand, Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa and Wrangler.

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 $10 million purse and the coveted Gold Buckle. In 2017, the event had a total attendance of 168,952 over the 10 days of competition and has sold out more than 300 consecutive performances.

The Wrangler NFR will kick off Thursday, Dec. 6 and run through Saturday, Dec. 15 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. All performances begin at 6:45 p.m. CBS Sports Network will carry all ten days, with live coverage beginning at 7 p.m. PT/10 p.m. ET.

For more information on the Wrangler NFR, please visit http://www.NFRexperience.com or through social media at /LasVegasNFR and use #WranglerNFR.

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