After a decade at Guthrie’s Lazy E Arena, the National Little Britches Rodeo Association is pulling up stakes and heading south. Beginning in 2026, the association’s National Finals Rodeo will move to the new OG&E Arena at the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds in Oklahoma City. Oklahoma City already hosts major equestrian events, including the American Quarter Horse Youth World Championship and the World Championship Quarter Horse Show. City officials say the Little Britches Finals will be a strong addition to their expanding schedule of rodeo and livestock events.
“This is our 10th year at the Lazy E, and it holds a special place in our heart,” said Sammy Williams, executive director of the National Little Britches Rodeo Association. “But we’ve simply outgrown it, just like we outgrew Pueblo before we came here.” The weeklong event draws around 1,600 youth competitors from across the country, with more than 5,000 contestants competing throughout the year in over 600 franchise rodeos. Williams said Oklahoma City offered logistical and financial incentives, including taking over responsibilities like camping arrangements, which are currently handled by the board.
“It wasn’t just the largest event we hosted — it’s possibly the largest youth rodeo in the country,” said Dan Wall, general manager and vice president of the Lazy E Arena. Over 10 years, the National Little Britches Finals almost tripled in size, growing from about 600 contestants to more than 1,600, with nearly 3,000 horse stalls required. Wall said the Lazy E added land and brought in thousands of temporary stalls, but the event eventually exceeded the venue’s capacity. “They outgrew us,” he said. “Oklahoma City has 3,000 stalls all under roof and the public infrastructure to support events of this scale.” Wall estimates the Little Britches Finals generated between $15 million and $17 million annually in economic impact for the Guthrie and Edmond area.
“Little Britches will definitely be missed,” said Justin Fortney, tourism and community development director for the City of Guthrie. “Those families basically became short-term residents of Guthrie. You could feel the difference all over town — from Walmart to Boomerang to Stables.” Fortney said that while the move is a loss, the Lazy E continues to draw major events year-round, and the city is optimistic about what’s ahead. “Lazy E sees around 500,000 visitors a year, and they’re constantly recruiting new events,” he said. “The rodeo world is super competitive, but Lazy E is holding its own, and that’s great for Guthrie.”
“Yes, it’s a big loss losing the NLBRA Finals. But in the venue business, that happens. We’re constantly upgrading and recruiting new events,” Wall said. One of those new additions is the National Junior High Finals Rodeo, which will begin a two-week run at the Lazy E starting in June 2026. While smaller in scale than the Little Britches Finals, Wall said the junior high event is a better logistical fit. “It’s a great event that aligns well with our infrastructure and long-term plans.”
The Lazy E isn’t standing still. Wall said the ownership group has invested heavily in infrastructure, including new permanent stalls, a 30,000-square-foot, climate-controlled multipurpose building, and a new arena to help retain and attract major events. That investment is already paying off. “Just a few months ago, we re-signed two of the top five barrel races in the world to 10-year contracts,” Wall said. “That’s unheard of.” While losing the Little Britches Finals marks the end of an era, the Lazy E is positioning itself for a busy and competitive future in the national rodeo circuit.