Christmas has come early for rodeo fans, with National Finals Rodeo 2023 live streams coming your way over the course of the bronco busting, bull riding extravaganza from Las Vegas. And you can watch all the major performances online and from anywhere with a VPN.
The National Finals Rodeo 2023 is on from Friday, Dec. 8 to Saturday Dec. 16.
► Time: Daily at 5:45 p.m. PT / 8:45 p.m. ET / 1:45 a.m. GMT / 12:45 p.m. AEDT
• U.S. — The Cowboy Channel (via cable and Sling TV) / Cowboy Channel Plus / RFD-TV Now
• Watch anywhere — try ExpressVPN 100% risk free
The so-called 'Super Bowl of rodeo' is the climax of the PRCA calendar and brings together the year's biggest stars to determine once and for all who is the best in their discipline — from riding and roping to racing and wrestling.
In addition to the prestigious PRCA Gold Buckle awarded to the individual world champions, there's the small matter of a $11.5 million purse that the 119 cowboys (and cowgirls) are battling it out for this year.
Despite having to retire with a hamstring injury only two days into the event, nobody can catch Stetson Wright to stop him claiming a fifth consecutive all-around championship. But that hasn't stopped Australian Ky Hamilton overtaking him in the bull riding standings – and after suffering a concussion earlier on in the week, too! And a second-place finish on Thursday was enough for Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi to secure her third barrel racing title, 14 years after her last one.
Riley Webb's first ever NFR win last Sunday cemented his place at the top of the tie-down roping standings. And consecutive round wins on Thursday and Friday in the saddle bronc riding gave Zeke Thurston the initiative to hopefully win his second successive buckle, pulling away from Sage Newman and Kade Bruno as they enter Saturday's final ride.
Elsewhere, 20-year-old Keenan Hayes came into Sin City atop the bareback rankings, but Clayton Bigelow, Jess Pope and Rocker Steiner — the rookie has won three round in Sin City this year — are mounting a robust challenge and the latter took round 8 to make things even tighter. Dalton Massey started fastest in the steer wrestling arena and has a fantastic chance to unsaddle Tyler Waguespack who has won the previous two iterations.
There's only one more night of rodeo action to enjoy, but you don't need to be in Nevada to see the spectacle. In this article we'll explain how to watch National Finals Rodeo live streams online, with a top tip for watching anywhere in the world.
How to watch National Finals Rodeo 2023 live stream in the U.S.
The Cowboy Channel is the primary TV channel broadcasting the National Finals Rodeo 2023 in the U.S.
As well as being available to watch on a variety of cable packages, The Cowboy Channel is also available from OTT streaming services. For example, it's included in DirecTV's Ultimate and Premier packages, costing $115/month and $160/month respectively.
Or, for a much more affordable option, The Cowboy Channel is included in the Heartland Extra add-on for Sling TV. You need one of Sling TV's base Orange or Blue plans to start with — they cost from $40/month, with your first month half price — and then Heartland Extra costs only $6/month extra.
Alternatively, you could watch via either of the specialized Cowboy Channel Plus or RFD-TV Now. Just be aware that you need an annual subscription to watch on either as NFR live streams aren't included in their monthly plans. The services cost $119.99/year and $89.99 respectively.
If you're outside of the U.S. and have one of these subscriptions, you can watch the NFR 2023 live stream by using a VPN — keep reading for more information.
How to watch National Finals Rodeo 2023 online around the world
Away from home and having difficulty connecting to your NFR live stream? Watching along with the rest of the internet can be pretty easy. With the right VPN (virtual private network), you can stream the event from anywhere in the world.
We've evaluated many options, and the best VPN is ExpressVPN. It meets the VPN needs of the vast majority of users, offering outstanding compatibility with most devices, impressive connection speeds and watertight security.
How to watch National Finals Rodeo 2023 live stream in Canada
Just as it is south of the border, The Cowboy Channel is the place to watch the National Finals Rodeo 2023 in Canada.
The network is available on cable plans from the likes of Shaw, Bell and Optik.
Can I watch the National Finals Rodeo in the U.K.?
Bronc fans in the U.K. are all out of luck, it seems. But if you're visiting the U.K. from the U.S. right now, you can always use a VPN to unblock The Cowboy Channel Plus and stream the National Finals Rodeo online. Details about, including how to download and use a VPN.
National Finals Rodeo 2023 performance schedule
All performances start at 5:45 p.m. PT / 8:45 p.m. ET except where stated
- Friday, Dec. 8: First Performance
- Saturday, Dec. 9: Second Performance
- Sunday, Dec. 10: Third Performance
- Monday, Dec. 11: Fourth Performance — Memorial Night
- Tuesday, Dec. 12: Fifth Performance — Tough Enough to Wear Pink
- Wednesday, Dec. 13: Sixth Performance — Resistol Rookie Night (10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET)
- Wednesday, Dec. 13: Seventh Performance — Military Night
- Thursday, Dec. 14: Eighth Performance — Canadian Night
- Friday, Dec. 15: Ninth Performance
- Saturday, Dec. 16: Tenth Performance — Wrangler National Patriot Night
National Finals Rodeo 2023 championships
- Bareback Riding
- Steer Wrestling
- Team Roping
- Saddle Bronc Riding
- Tie-Down Roping
- Barrel Racing
- Bull Riding
- All-Around
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