Winter Auction 2015 closing February 7
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/8/2015
This is an impressive belt buckle awarded to a participant in the 1996 National Finals Rodeo held in Las Vegas. Having the design appeal of a real cowboy buckle, the brass buckle with a silver overlay finish is jeweled on front with a single blue stone. The buckle is made by Award Design Medals. While the buckle reinforces the western folk hero image of Rodeo as an American creation, rodeo's roots date back to the period of sixteenth-century Spanish conquistadors. What was an integral part of cattle ranching eventually became a sporting event with the first formalized “cowboy tournament” with cash prizes organized in 1888. The National Finals Rodeo represented by this belt buckle is the premier championship rodeo event held in the United States and is often times referred to as the World Series of Rodeo and the Super Bowl of Rodeo. This rodeo artifact would be great to display or wear.