American Royal
The American Royal Association, a Kansas City tradition since 1899, celebrates the region’s rich agricultural heritage through competition, education and entertainment.
Its purpose is to provide scholarship, education, awards and competitive learning experiences that reward hard work, leadership skills and agrarian values.
Its vision is to be the Heartland’s leading promoter of American Agricultural education and values.
Its mission is to promote and celebrate the excellence in agricultural progress and develop future generations of leaders through agrarian values, disciplines and expressions of skills.
Fiercely supported by the metropolitan Kansas City business community, The American Royal is one of the best-loved area traditions. This multi-week long series of events (stretching from early September to late November) is sponsored by business and community leaders among whom are the 900 members comprising the American Royal Governors.
If you’re in town during these weeks, you just may want to take in an event or two. Among scheduled American Royal activities are:
- Quarter Horse Show
- Business & Scholarship Luncheon
- Arabian Horse Show
- BBQ Sauce Contest
- Youth & Open Horse Show
- School Tours
- Youth Rodeo
- Pro Rodeo
- Parade
- Youth Leadership Day
- Calf Scramble
- *World Series of Barbeque®
- Tablescapes
- Hunter/Jumper Show
- Livestock Show
- TableSteaks
- BOTAR Ball
- Jr. Premium Livestock Auction
- Cutting Horse Show
- United Professional Horseman’s Association National Championship Saddlebred Horse Show
- Stake Night
- Crops Contest
*This four-day food festival/event has grown steadily since its inaugural event in 1980. The competition takes place over 20 acres of Kansas City’s historic Stockyards district. Over 500 teams compete in four meat categories. This is the largest barbeque contest in the world.