More than sales: Cowboy Christmas vendors ‘planting seeds’

For the cowboys and cowgirls competing at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, these 10 days each December are often called Cowboy Christmas. That’s because it’s an opportunity to make a lot of money in a short period of time, often the difference between a contestant finishing a year in the black or in the red.

For vendors at The Cowboy Channel Cowboy Christmas shopping expo, it’s not necessarily about an immediate income boost. It’s setting the table for the year ahead.

“We look at this more as planting seeds,” said Cierra Condie, brand manager of Minky Couture out of Mapleton, Utah. “We do sell quite a lot and definitely make the money back that we put into it. But the caliber of people we get at Cowboy Christmas is totally different.

“It’s really about building relationships. We’ve had some people reach out later to place larger orders.”

That’s where the benefit comes, being one of the 400-plus vendors spread across the first and second floors of Las Vegas Convention Center’s South Halls. Cowboy Christmas is co-located with the RMEF Hunter Outdoor Christmas Expo, providing even more opportunities for vendors and shoppers.

Which is why, every year, there’s a lengthy waitlist for vendors, as Condie and Minky Couture owner Sandi Hendry learned.

“We were on the waitlist,” Condie said. “But Jeff Brewer, our senior marketing director, was the most persistent person on our team. Cowboy Christmas was one of our bucket-list items. We’d been trying to get in for years. And Jeff didn’t take no for an answer.”

Minky Couture — best known for its custom blankets, but also makers of robes, baby couture, bags and more — broke through last year, getting off the waitlist and onto the expo floor.

Bo Gardner oversees Cowboy Christmas as Las Vegas Events’ vice president of corporate marketing. So Gardner manages that waitlist, too. And it’s not getting shorter.

“This is the longest the waitlist has ever been for vendors. We have over 420 exhibitors, and at one point had over 500 on the waitlist,” Gardner said.

The 2024 Cowboy Channel Cowboy Christmas brings a lot of change that’s sure to benefit vendors and customers alike. Among them:

■ All of Level 1 is Cowboy Christmas, as is the east end of Level 2.

■ Hunter Outdoor Expo is on the west end of Level 2.

■ Within the Hunter Outdoor Expo is the Ariat Rodeo Live Stage, featuring four programs each day: Live With Lucia at 10:15 a.m.; Conserving Country with Shane Minor and Garrison Allen at 11:30 a.m.; Outside the Barrel with Flint Rasmussen at 12:30 p.m.; and the RMEF Calcutta at 1:45 p.m.

■ The Junior World Finals move from inside the second floor to a 50,000-square foot tent just south of the South Halls.

There are two more stages this year, too, both on Level 1. The Cowboy Channel Stage is in what was formerly the East Lobby. The stage features several live shows from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. each day, beginning with The Luke Branquinho Show and wrapping with the NFR Tailgate Party.

And the new East Lobby houses the Cinch Stage, featuring the RumpChat podcast, with hosts Justin Rumford and Josh Hilton. There’s also a new red carpet entrance coming out of the new East Lobby.

Plus, there are more ways to get to Cowboy Christmas. If you would rather not drive and deal with parking, there are shuttles running throughout the day, and the Las Vegas Monorail is an option. And shoppers should be able to use the underground Boring Tunnel, with Teslas providing transportation from select locations at the north end of the Strip.

Gardner is particularly pleased with two of the changes.

“First, I feel like the Junior World Finals having its own location, and having complete control over that, makes it easier for contestants and fans. We’ll offer amenities within that tent, with food and beverage,” Gardner said. “We’ve got 780 contestants and 820 entries. Our numbers are growing. We’re really excited.

“The second piece is to give a new grand welcome to Cowboy Christmas in the East Lobby, the Cowboy Commons. It’s a country/Western theme, a warm invite. I think fans are gonna notice that, because that was all under construction last year. It’s all gonna look brand new on that east end.”

There are also more food and beverage options this year, including a second-floor food court. It all adds up to what Gardner has worked on since starting taking charge of Cowboy Christmas in 2012. And Las Vegas Events President Tim Keener has taken note.

“The last 12 years, the height that Bo has taken this to is something I would’ve never imagined,” Keener said. “We listen to the fans. What they say is important, and we act on it throughout the year.”

Vendors certainly benefit from the constant upgrades as well, even exhibitors such as Minky Couture in their first year off the waitlist. In fact, Minky Couture’s booth was named 2023 Best of Show for The Cowboy Channel Cowboy Christmas.

“It was a really good experience last year,” Condie said, re-emphasizing that it’s not just about the sales made during these 10 days. “It’s relationships first and business second. And it always comes back to us tenfold. It’s the gift that keeps on giving.”