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National Western Stock Show selects George Eidsness as 2026 Citizen of the West

By September 18, 2025 | updated 4 months ago

The National Western Stock Show has selected its white (cowboy) hat for the 2026 season.

George Eidsness has been picked by the National Western Stock Show as the 2026 Citizen of the West Award winner for January — an honor the group bestows on an individual who embodies the “spirit and determination of the Western pioneer.”

“George Eidsness is a true embodiment of the Citizen of the West – resilient, visionary and deeply rooted in the land and traditions that define the region,” NWSS officials said in a press release on Thursday.

Each year, the National Western Stock Show picks an individual whose life personifies that “true representative of Western lifestyle, ideals, agricultural heritage and traditions.”

Eidsness and his wife, Barbara, were born in North Dakota. Eidsness was raised on a farm, riding horses and showing cattle at stockshows.

The two eventually moved to Colorado in 1990 and purchased Transwest, Inc. — a dealership network specializing in sales, service and parts for heavy-duty trucks, trailers, automobiles and recreational vehicles.

Under his leadership, Transwest has grown to serve customers across Colorado, five Midwestern states and Canada. He also chairs Translease, Inc., a company that provides financing solutions for transportation equipment throughout the U.S. and Canada. He also holds ownership interests in several manufacturing businesses related to the transportation industry.

Eidsness purchased Steamboat Lake Outfitters in 1996 and later the Flying E Ranch near Fort Lupton, allowing him to blend business acumen with a love for horses, trail riding and hunting, according to the release.

He is also a lifetime member of the United States Team Penning Association, has championed many nonprofits and supported youth in agriculture and is a longtime sponsor of the Stock Show, the Auction of Junior Livestock Champions, Citizen of the West and the Coors Western Art Exhibit & Sale.

“His leadership at the National Western and in his other endeavors reflects a deep commitment to the land, the people, and the enduring spirit of the American West,” NWSS said.

The selection comes as the first Citizen of the West picked under new CEO Wes Allison, a Texas livestock show leader, who took up the reigns after former CEO, Paul Andrews, stepped down this year.

Eidsness will be honored as the 47th Citizen of the West during the annual award dinner on Monday, Jan. 12.

The 2026 National Western Stock Show runs from Jan. 10-25 at the National Western Complex in Denver. Tickets, schedules and more information are available at nationalwestern.com.

Sage Kelley

Reporter

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