The National Finals Rodeo has called Las Vegas home since 1985 and cowboys and cowgirls move into Las Vegas for over a week to celebrate the finest in the sport of rodeo.

The National Final Rodeo is held at the Thomas and Mack Center, part of UNLV (University of Las Vegas). On Wednesday a mass shooter opened fire on the campus of UNLV killing three faculty members and injuring more. The only thing known about the shooter is he is now deceased and had applied for employment.

The National Final Rodeo was set to kick off tonight in Las Vegas with their opening performances. In a statement, the NFR has decided to cancel tonight's events.

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According to the Cowboy Channel: 

Las Vegas Events and the PRCA Board of Directors have decided to cancel the first performance of the 2023 National Finals Rodeo out of respect for those who lost their lives in a shooting on the campus of the University of Nevada-Las Vegas on Wednesday afternoon.

“All of us are saddened by the events that occurred today,” LVE President Tim Keener said in a news release. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to all who have been affected. We are grateful to all of the first responders, police, security, and the UNLV community for their actions today.”

Tomorrow, Friday, December 8th, the NFR will hold the first round of performances. A moment of silence will be held Friday night to honor those who lost their lives.  To keep in the tradition of the NFR they will still have 10 rounds of competition. They will add an additional round on Wednesday morning to make sure all 10 rounds happen.