Today is the opening of the annual National Western Stock Show, two weeks that connect Denver to its roots as a cowboy city. And just like it has for the last few years, the Stock Show will open with a celebration of the Mexican origins of rodeo through the Mexican Rodeo Extravaganza that will be held tonight at 7:30 and tomorrow at 2:00. The success of the National Western’s Mexican Rodeo stands in stark contrast to what has gone on with the Greeley Stampede. The Stampede used to have a similar event, called Fiesta Day, but then cancelled it in a move that was interpreted as a part of the legacy of racial tension in Weld County. Perhaps the Stampede organizers will take note of the fact that the Mexican Rodeo has been very successful at the Stock Show, and bring some event like that back to the Stampede in the future.