GILLETTE (WNE) — Gillette will not host the National High School Finals Rodeo this year.

On Friday morning, the National High School Rodeo Association announced that the Lazy E Arena in Guthrie, Oklahoma, will host the NHSFR. The association said the Lazy E Arena met the NHSFR’s needs for arenas, camping and stalling.

“We also appreciate that the facility was one of the first to cautiously and safely host events as coronavirus mandates were lifted, so the facility’s staff has the knowledge and protocols in place to meet local, state and federal health mandates to protect our contestants, attendees, volunteers and staff,” the association wrote in a press release.

Cam-plex officials had been asked last week if they would be able to host the NHSFR. The association’s plan to have the NHSFR with social distancing guidelines had received support from Campbell County commissioners and Campbell County Public Health.

“We certainly respect their decision [to go to Guthrie], and we would have loved to have had it here,” said Cam-plex General Manager Jeff Esposito.

James Higginbotham, NHSRA executive director, said he appreciates “the abundant amount of support from the venues that reached out” to the association to host the event.

In Wyoming, the Sweetwater Events Complex also tossed its hat into the ring to host this year’s event at the last minute, it said in a press release Thursday. Rock Springs was the most recent host of the rodeo, having it in 2018-19.