'Discriminated Against Us': Cowboy Preacher Booted from Vendor Booth at Rodeo in Lincoln

by Ken Shepherd

An evangelical Christian ministry has been denied a vendor slot for July’s National High School Finals Rodeo at Lincoln’s Sandhills Global Event Center, allegedly over a breach of terms and conditions for prospective vendors.

On June 3, James Scott, also known as the Wyoming Cowboy Preacher, announced via his Facebook page that he had received an email denying his organization, The Wyoming Rodeo Ministry, a vendor slot at the rodeo championship trade show, despite having been a vendor in previous years with no apparent issues or complaints.

“Their reasoning is in their own words ‘A vendor of this type goes against the terms and conditions of the show,’” Scott shared in his Facebook post, asking for supporters to politely petition organizers to reconsider. “We are a very encouraging booth to these young people about their faith,” Scott said. “If you feel the need to reach out to them on behalf of the WRM, you have our blessing.”

Scott shared the email in question with The Plains Sentinel, a form email from EventHub, a platform used by event organizers and venues, such as Lincoln’s event center, to manage event logistics.

While Scott told The Plains Sentinel in a phone interview that terms and conditions at previous rodeos he’d attended had stipulated “that no booth can be political or religious in nature,” that didn’t prevent his organization from being approved.

“We have been doing this since 2014. The rules and the terms have never changed. They’re the same back then as they were today,” Scott said. “They have allowed us in nine times. So, for them to come up and cite, ‘hey, you go against our standards,’ we feel like they have just discriminated against us; they really don’t want us there. And I don’t and I can’t say who they is.

I don’t know if it’s the venue. I don’t know if it’s the National High School Finals Rodeo. The majority of the people want us there.”

Scott also told The Plains Sentinel that other evangelical Christian organizations, such as Cowboys for Christ, were also able to host their vendor booths in the years he’s been attending National High School Finals Rodeo events.

But where the Wyoming Rodeo Ministry differs from other vendors, Scott said, is in its aim to share the gospel of Jesus Christ one-on-one with short testimonies and be available for conversation and prayer with rodeo attendees.

“To be honest, there’s just not a lot of people that do what we do,” Scott said, noting that his organization does not engage in street-preaching style evangelism. Instead, Wyoming Rodeo Ministry attracts interest by raffling off prizes to attendees, with the only requirement being to lend a volunteer a few minutes to hear his or her brief testimony of how they came to faith in Jesus.

“This really is just, you know, just having people share their testimony, share the gospel. They’re just being real with people,” Scott said.

“You know, we pray with people. We encourage people. We pray with contestants. I mean, we’ve just had an impact on so many different folks throughout all these years,” Scott told The Plains Sentinel, adding that those who then profess faith in Christ receive follow-up calls from a staff member who helps them find a local church where they can grow in their newfound faith.

While Scott said he has lawyers who have offered to help to try to get the decision reversed, and his ministry allowed back as a vendor. He’s also heartened by the support he’s received, including other rodeo groups reaching out to invite him to attend.

“National Little Britches Rodeo, they have reached out to us directly and said, ‘Come to us. We won’t even charge you. We will give you a free booth space,’” Scott said. “The National Junior High Finals Rodeo did the exact same thing, uh, they didn’t say a free booth, but they said, ‘Hey, we would love for y’all to be here, uh, sharing Jesus, in our rodeo,’ which we have been there before anyway.”

The Plains Sentinel reached out for comment to Sandhills Global Event Center and the National High School Rodeo Association but received no response by publication deadline.

— Ken Shepherd is a freelance reporter with The Plains Sentinel. He is a former editor at Fox News Digital and the Washington Times.