Longhorns are corralled down 17th Street. The 112th National Western Stock Show begins with a parade through downtown Denver, Jan. 4, 2018. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
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The 112th National Western Stock Show begins with a parade/cattle drive through downtown Denver, Jan. 4, 2018. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
The 112th National Western Stock Show kicked off with a chorus of hooves Thursday afternoon. Dozens of longhorns were driven down 17th Street from Union Station, a long-standing tradition that made a comeback after it was canceled last year due to inclement weather.
Downtown streets were lined with spectators, young and old, who mostly reacted with glee to the sight.
The National Western Center is gearing up for a full revamp, including a $100 million Legacy Building and big changes to north Denver. The stock show, its downtown-driven cattle and the new facility plans all point to Denver's long history as a crossroads for ranching and agriculture in the west.
Justin Johnson slings a lasso on 17th Street. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Sandy Pfeiffer sings to Jerry the horse to keep him calm before the parade begins. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Longhorns trot down 17th Street. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Parade attendees young and old cheer as longhorns are corralled down 17th Street. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
That's one dense mass of cattle. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Henni, who's 11, gets a gleeful handful of horse spit. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Jim Eberle rides a vintage John Deere tractor. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
The Westernaires ride single file. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Stephanie Ledoux wrangles Cooper, who licks his lips and sports a stylish tiny cowboy hat. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Excalibur and Copycat are halfway done with the parade route and are already over it. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Travis Green rides the parade route dressed as a Buffalo Soldier. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
The longhorns are corralled at the end of the parade route. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Denverites peer down from a building along 17th Street as the parade makes its way past. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Mayor Michael Hancock greets parade participants before it begins. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
City Council President Albus Brooks sports a black cowboy hat. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Ms. Rodeo America Keri Sheffield (left to right), Ms. Rodeo Colorado Alex Hyland and Ms. Rodeo Wyoming Morgan Wallace stand by to lead the parade. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Sandy Pfeiffer sings to Jerry the horse to keep him calm before the parade begins. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Kevin is a multimedia artist who flung himself into the world of journalism. He likes using a camera and microphone to tell stories about workers, the environment, social justice and fascinating humans.
