Celebrating its 84th year, the San Benito County Saddle Horse Show and Rodeo returns to Bolado Park on June 23-25. The western style event is reminiscent of a more rustic era when raising livestock was primary to the San Benito County lifestyle.
Local horsemen and women look forward to this time of year when the can proudly show off their horses. After months of training and “tuning up” they perform together at the Bolado Park Event Center in Tres Pinos. Spectators will see a wide variety of Western events for young and old throughout the three days of activities.
The family-oriented show that started in 1929 captures the cultural heritage of the early California Vaquero style of horseback riding and care of livestock.
A unique event that takes hours and hours of practice is the horse show’s signature class, the Figure 8 Roping. This takes great skill and is a specialty of homegrown San Benito County cowboys and totally unique to this saddle horse show. Western Stock horse classes for all ages, even the tiniest youngsters, occur throughout the day.
San Benito County residents have the chance to watch the exciting and sometimes terrifying rough stock events. True to tradition, the horse show will host the ever-popular kids classes including the wild and wooly mutton busting. There is never a dull moment at San Benito County’s Saddle Horse Show and Rodeo with both the track and arena events running simultaneously.
Here is the schedule for Saddle Horse Show events:
FRIDAY, JUNE 23, ELIMINATIONS
8 a.m.: Track & Arena/followed by Reined Stock Horse Finals
FRIDAY, JUNE 23, TRACK:
7:00 p.m.: Grand Entry Parade
7:30 p.m.: Best Working Outfit, 12 to 15 years
7:45 p.m.: Jr. Western Horsemanship, 12 to 15 years
8 p.m.: Novice Stock Horse
8:30 p.m.: Jr. Keyhole Race, 12 to 15 years
8:50 p.m.: Jr. Reined Stock Horse, 12 to 15 years
9:10 p.m.: Ladies Western Horsemanship
9:20 p.m.: Figure-8 Roping
9:40 p.m.: Cattle Sorting
FRIDAY, JUNE 23, ARENA:
7:30 p.m.: Bareback Bronc Riding
7:45 p.m.: Tie Down Roping/Clown performance
7:55 p.m.: Jr. Barrel Race 6 to 11 years
8:10 p.m.: Dally Team Roping/Clown performance
8:20 p.m.: Saddle Bronc Riding
8:30 p.m.: Jr. Single Steer Stopping, 8 to 15 years
8:40 p.m.: Family Dally Team Roping
8:50 p.m.: Bull Riding
9:10 p.m.: Jr. Ribbon Race, 6 to 11 years
9:20 p.m.: Wild Cow Milking
9:40 p.m.: Mixed Ribbon Roping
9:55 p.m.: Wild Horse Race
SATURDAY, JUNE 24, U BARN:
9:30 a.m.: Halter Horse Show/followed by Best Appearing Cow Horse without a Saddle class Elimination
SATURDAY, JUNE 24, TRACK:
1:30 p.m.: Grand Entry Parade
2 p.m.: Best Working Outfit, 8 to 11 years
2:15 p.m.: Jr. Reined Stock Horse, 6 to 11 years
2:45 p.m.: Jr. Western Horsemanship, 6 to 11 years
2:55 p.m.: Jr. Cow Horse, 12 to 15 years
3:25 p.m.: Cattle Sorting
3:55 p.m.: Figure-8 Roping
4:05 p.m.: Non-Pro Stock Horse
SATURDAY, JUNE 24, ARENA
10 a.m.: Dally Team Roping Slack
2 p.m.: Bareback Bronc Riding
2:15 p.m.: Tie Down Roping/Clown performance
2:25 p.m.: Jr. Barrel Race 12 to 15 years
2:40 p.m.: Dally Team Roping/Clown performance
2:55 p.m.: Mutton Busting
3:15 p.m.: Saddle Bronc Riding
3:35 p.m.: Jr. Single Steer Stopping, 8 to 15 years
3:45 p.m.: Family Dally Team Roping
3:55 p.m.: Bull Riding
4:20 p.m.: Wild Cow Milking
4:35 p.m.: Jr. Ribbon Race 12 to 15 years
4:45 p.m.: Mixed Ribbon Roping
5 p.m.: Wild Horse Race
SUNDAY, JUNE 25, TRACK:
1:30 p.m.: Grand Entry Parade
2 p.m.: Best Working Outfit, 4 to 7 years
2:15 p.m.: Hackamore Horse
2:45 p.m.: Jr. Keyhole Race, 6 to 11 years
3:05 p.m.: Open Stock Horse
3:35 p.m.: Cattle Sorting
3:55 p.m.: Figure-8 Roping
4:05 p.m.: Best Appearing Cow Horse Without Saddle
5 p.m.: Presentation of Awards
SUNDAY, JUNE 25, ARENA:
2 p.m.: Bareback Bronc Riding
2:10 p.m.: Tie Down Roping/Clown performance
2:25 p.m.: Senior Barrel Race
2:40 p.m.: Dally Team Roping/Clown performance
-2:55 p.m.: Mutton Busting
3:10 p.m.: Saddle Bronc Riding
3:30 p.m.: Jr. Single Steer Stopping, 8 to 15 years
3:40 p.m.: Family Dally Team Roping
3:50 p.m.: Bull Riding
4:10 p.m.: Wild Cow Milking
4:25 p.m.: Jr. Ribbon Race 12 to 15 years
4:35 p.m.: Mixed Ribbon Roping
4:50 p.m.: Wild Horse Race
OTHER ATTRACTIONS INCLUDE:
- Kids Corral at the North Grandstand Area
- Association Museum
For more information, click here.