The first Sheridan WYO Rodeo took place, organized by a group of local citizens who wanted to put the small town of Sheridan on the map. The first rodeo was a great success. The $15,000 purse brought professional rodeo contestants from all over the United States. A rodeo parade on Main Street drew thousands of spectators, and a carnival at the fairgrounds and participation of hundreds of Indians in night shows provided even more entertainment. The Sheridan-Wyo-Rodeo was well established. To publicize the event, E. W. Bill Gollings was commissioned to paint a picture for the first Sheridan-Wyo-Rodeo poster. The entire community and downtown merchants helped support the efforts of the rodeo committee to ensure the success of the first Sheridan-Wyo-Rodeo. Bill Gollings Poster Marketing, 10,000 posters were printed and given to people who went on vacation to distribute all over the U.S. and beyond.

Glady Accola was selected as the first Sheridan WYO Rodeo queen.

In 1944 the rodeo was reactivated, it was renamed the Bots Sots Stampede to invoke the memory of a series of rodeos in 1914-1916 called the Sheridan Stampede. Bots Sots is the Crow Indian term for “very good” and the term was used to advertise the Sheridan Stampedes of old. While there was still a rodeo, large Indian pageants were replaced by vaudevillian night shows. The rodeo queen program was also reactivated and the rodeo parade and carnivals remained part of the program. The rodeo changed from professional status and was intended to be a “working cowboy” local rodeo, but contestant’s still entered from outside the local area. The rodeo board still struggled to maintain merchant and community support and the financial condition of the rodeo was usually stretched thin. But 1951, a public poll was conducted to find if the community wanted the rodeo to continue. The public voted for continuation and also voted to restore the Sheridan-Wyo-Rodeo name. The rodeo board still struggled to maintain merchant and community support and the financial condition of the rodeo was usually stretched thin. But 1951, a public poll was conducted to find if the community wanted the rodeo to continue. The public voted for continuation and also voted to restore the Sheridan-Wyo-Rodeo name.