National High School Finals Rodeo 2021: Shop Til You Drop!

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Lincoln, Nebraska – It’s a piece of shopping paradise that goes along with this year’s National High School Finals Rodeo 2021 (NHSFR) in Lincoln, Neb.

For seven days in July, the region’s largest collection of unique horse, rodeo and western items will be for sale at the NHSFR Lincoln Rodeo & Horse Expo. At this year’s Nationals in Lincoln, you can shop till you drop.

At the Expo, more than 100 vendors will be on hand with nearly everything imaginable that’s “horse-y”: the usual jeans, shirts, hats, boots, belts and jewelry, but so much more.

“The ‘so much more,’ really is more,” said Hoyt Kraeger, business development manager at the Lancaster Event Center Fairgrounds, who is coordinating the Expo. “We’ll have everything Western – home décor, rugs, western art pieces, lifestyle and equine pieces, and things you can’t find at other storefronts,” he said.

In addition, the Expo has expanded its equine selection beyond previous NHSFR trade shows to include more than just rodeo items. “We have a lot of horses in Lancaster County and the area that do other disciplines, like dressage, hunter/jumper and pleasure, and we’re hoping to cover those areas with the Expo, too.”

Shopping at the Expo isn’t limited to the 1,700 high school rodeo athletes at Nationals and their family and friends. It’s for anyone who wants to find unique, one-of-a-kind items. “We’re thinking that the locals will enjoy shopping” at the Expo, Kraeger said. “I think they’ll be intrigued by what they see. It’s not shopping that you get to see every day.” He pointed out that some of the vendors don’t have storefronts but do their business at rodeos and other equine events throughout the nation.

And the food choices will be plentiful and varied at the Fairgrounds, Kraeger said. The typical fair food (freshly squeezed lemonade, grilled Angus burgers and the like) will be on hand, but he’s booking other types, the “fork and knife” variety, as he calls it. Barbecue, bowls, burritos and daily hot-meals specials are some of the possibilities.

Even though the National High School Finals 2021 is the showpiece, the NHSFR Lincoln Rodeo & Horse Expo is an event that fans and visitors can’t miss, Kraeger said.

“It will be seven days of shopping paradise,” Kraeger said. “It’s unique stuff you can’t find anywhere else.”

Admission to the Expo is free; over 115,000 square feet of retail space will be dedicated to the Expo. The Expo is open July 18-24 from 10 am to 6 pm daily at the Lancaster Event Center Fairgrounds (4100 North 84th Street, Lincoln, NE 68507). For more information on the NHSFR, visit NHSFRLincoln.org or the association’s website at NHSRA.com.

Jodi Erpelding

I grew up on a Midwest farm with dirt under my fingernails and the sound of wind rustling through cornfields. My childhood was all about 4H – raising pigs and horses, learning to bake and sew, and discovering the magic of transforming a garden into jars of summer sunshine. Those years taught me the value of hard work, the thrill of seeing a project through to the end, and the simple joy of creating something beautiful. A country girl with a need for speed and a thirst for adventure. Maybe that's why I love the feeling of wind in my hair – whether I'm cruising down a dusty road on my Harley or tackling a mountain trail on my trusty mountain bike. Some of my earliest memories of rodeo are watching my father compete at small local events. That's also where my love for country music comes in – long car rides listening to 8 tracks. The lyrics and melodies always spoke to my soul. These days, you'll find me cheering on the cowboys and cowgirls at rodeos, two-stepping to my favorite bands, belting out a country tune at a concert or sharing stories and laughter with friends around a bonfire. When I'm not soaking up the country life and getting my boots dirty, I'm a nurse, caring for folks in my community. Follow along for more stories from the heart of rodeo and country life!