All modern-day photo credit to: QUINN GREEN WINDMILL PHOTOGRAPHY AND COWBOY PHOTOS
In 1951, the southeastern town of Willcox, Arizona, was experiencing a boom,
proudly known as the “Cattle Capital of the World.” This cowboy town gained even
more fame as hometown hero Rex Allen, a singer and actor, began to achieve success
on the radio and in movies. To capitalize on the town’s flourishing spirit and to raise
funds for the local hospital, a group of local businessmen decided to organize an annual
event. With Rex Allen’s endorsement, they launched the first event, a quarter horse show
and FFA rodeo. However, the event’s initial success was limited, prompting Rex Allen to
demand a professional rodeo or withdraw his support.
Heeding his advice, the organizers enlisted local rancher and rodeo competitor
Alvin Browning led to the creation of the first Rex Allen Days Rodeo in 1952. The
event has continued uninterrupted since then, becoming a staple in southeastern
Arizona’s cultural calendar.
Initially produced by local businessmen and the Sheriff’s Posse, the rodeo moved
from Lakeside Arena to the Sheriff’s Posse Arena on Airport Road. In 1973, Rex Allen
Days, Inc. was formed to manage the event more formally. This transition helped the
rodeo grow, maintaining its reputation as a premier Western event. The event now
includes a parade, concerts, tractor pulls, and Aztec dancers, drawing thousands of
attendees each year.
The Rex Allen Days annual event not only honors the legacy of Rex Allen but also
supports community initiatives. Proceeds have historically funded the Northern Cochise
Community Hospital and scholarships for local youth. The event features a variety of
activities, including a country fair, carnival, and numerous rodeo events such as bull
riding, calf roping, and team roping. Notably, the event has hosted top-tier stock
contractors like Butler Brothers and Slash M Rodeo, ensuring the highest quality bucking
stock.
As the years passed, the interest in the traditional stage shows diminished,
leading to its replacement by Rex Allen Jr.’s one-man show at Railroad Park. Despite
these changes, the rodeo has thrived, becoming part of the Grand Canyon Pro Rodeo
Circuit in the late 1990s and attracted many contestants and fans. It remains one of the
most well-attended rodeos in Arizona, often surpassing even the Tucson rodeo in the
number of contestants.
The legacy of Rex Allen Days is preserved not only through the rodeo but also
through the Rex Allen Museum, which showcases memorabilia from Allen’s illustrious
career. The event’s rich history and community spirit continue to draw visitors from far
and wide, ensuring that the memory of the Arizona Cowboy lives on.
Buried in the old Cemetery just off Railroad Avenue is Warren Earp, Wyatt Earp’s
younger brother who was shot and killed in a duel on the same street. A plaque
denotes the spot. In 1891 a local brewery was turning out a thousand bottles of beer a
day (Stanley, 2013). Many more secrets await to be found on the streets in the shops of
the town which has epitomized the Five C’s of Arizona: Copper, Cattle, Cotton, Citrus, and Climate!
We invite everyone to join us on the first weekend of October in Willcox to
celebrate the life of Rex Allen. Enjoy the rodeo and parch your thirst after enjoying the
event’s festivities. Catch a classic car show, browse quality vendors, and enjoy the
amazing winery vineyards that now dot the old wild west main street. Discover the best
that Arizona’s Western heritage has to offer and you won’t go broke visiting, and you’ll
likely leave having made a handful of new friends.
Rex Allen Days and Willcox, is the place to be every October!
