The Northern Arapaho Tribe brought back the Indian National Finals Tour Rodeo in hopes it would be an event to bring the Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone tribes closer together.

David Heart, a rodeo contractor for Double Heart Rodeo in Laramie expressed the thanks to the Northern Arapaho Tribe for sponsoring an event that got kids involved, brought a community together and created awareness of rodeo culture. David Love said, “I think there is an opportunity here to unite the Northern Arapaho and the Shoshone in the future, to be able to make this a bigger and stronger event."

Eastern Shoshone contractor and team roper Jeremy Washakie believes events such as the Indian National Finals Rodeo will help strengthen the rodeo family.

“It’s similar to the powwow family,” he said. Washakie believes the rodeo will encourage more cowboys and cowgirls to get involved and return the sport to what it was in the past.

Stephen Fasthorse, Council member for the Northern Arapaho Tribe said, “The tribe is already talking about a tour rodeo for 2019.”