Stock show lowdown

Five questions for Pat Grant, executive director for the National Western Stock Show

The Rocky

Published January 11, 2008 at 12:30 a.m.

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Photo by Linda McConnell / Special to the Rocky

Pat Grant

When do you start planning events and activities for the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo?

We start two weeks after the show ends in early February. We have a recap for the executive committee the first week of February. Two weeks later, we have a staff retreat and bring all the department heads together. We look at what we did, how we did, what we did very well and how to improve on what we did. That's the beginning of the planning process for the following January.

What new attractions will the stock show and rodeo have this year?

The American Quarter Horse Association world championship show is a new event and a new world championship that we were asked to host. You're going to see the top ranch horses in the world competing. We had record numbers in previous ranch horse competitions, so we're optimistic that it will do well.

We are presenting the first-ever Winter West Art Celebration that is drawing interest from art collectors and art investors all over the country. It's a collaboration between the Denver Art Museum and the Coors Western Art exhibit and sale. They will have different tours of art shows and exhibitions in the Denver area.

We're hosting the official mascot contest for the Denver Democratic National Convention. It's open to young people under the age of 18 to show their donkeys. We have important people with the national Democratic Party to come and judge the event.

How is the show doing in terms of attendance?

Over time, the National Western Stock Show continues to grow. We had record attendance for the 100th anniversary - 730,000 in January 2006. Last year, because of the snowstorms, it dropped to 649,000 but that's really quite an outstanding attendance figure notwithstanding the snowstorms.

How does the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo rank with other stock shows and rodeos in the country?

The horse show is the largest horse show in the country, and it's gained in stature year after year. Since we built the event center in 1995, it's recognized as one of the premier, top-notch horse shows in the country today.

The stock show continues to be one of the premier, prestigious stock shows in the world. It has a global reputation. In 2005, when three members of the executive committee went to Argentina and Uruguay, they met with several cattlemen (there). They not only know of the National Western Stock Show but they come in January because of the quality of the cattle and feed stock.

If you look at the rodeo, horse show and stock show, each is top quality and top notch. That is why the National Western Stock Show is the outstanding show that it is.

What is the biggest challenge facing the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo?

The biggest challenge is to grow and nurture this internationally renown institution in aging buildings in a constrained and limited space.

We had one study of our long- range options that indicated that if we were to rebuild the National Western complex at our current location, it could, over a period of 15 years, cost us $75 million more than if we relocate.

So we are facing a significant strategic issue: We could put money in shoring up and repairing and rebuilding some of our facilities, but as one person said, to do so would be "putting lipstick on a pig."

We have made no decision to move, but we would be remiss in fulfilling our obligation to the people of Denver and Colorado if we did not plan for the future.

Tillie Fong

Meet Pat Grant

Grant has served as the executive director of the National Western Stock Show since 1991 and has been on its executive committee since 1985. Grant, who also serves on the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Visitors Bureau boards of directors, is from a family that reached Colorado before it became a state in 1876.

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