2026 Gallup Rodeos

Above, bull riding during the 2025 Gallup Lions Club Rodeo. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Here's the rodeos that will take place at Red Rock Park near Gallup, New Mexico this year:

76th Annual Gallup Lions Club Rodeo & BBQ

Dates: June 18–20, 2026 

Highlights: Youth rodeo (June 18), Open show rodeos (June 19–20), and a downtown BBQ celebration

11th Annual Best of the Best Timed Event Rodeo

Dates: June 23–27, 2026 

Highlights: High-stakes team roping, $3,000 added per event, and exclusive prizes for winners

WildThing Championship Bullriding

Dates: Typically hosted in July (Mid-summer)

Highlights: One of the premier bull-riding events in the Southwest, featuring elite riders and the Wooly Riders youth division

Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial

Dates: August 1–9, 2026

Highlights: Daily rodeo events begin August 6 

2025 Gallup Lions Club Rodeo

Rodeo season has opened in Gallup, New Mexico. I attended the rodeo last evening at Red Rock Park Rodeo Arena. It is the 75th year Diamond Jubilee rodeo.

As I've mentioned several times, this is my favorite time of the year in New Mexico. The rodeo last night also included a dance and fireworks. I didn't stay for them. But I did enjoy several events that took place.

The rodeo started at 7:00 last night. 

Rodeo season here continues next weekend when the Best of the Best Rodeo featuring contestants from junior high and high schools takes place at the same venue.

Naturally, I took many pictures. 

Here's some of them:

Rodeo Season Starts Today

Rodeo season is kicking off with this weekend's Lions Club Rodeo at Red Rock Park. 

Next weekend, the Best of the Best Rodeo, also at Red Rock Park, will be taking place.

From Rodeoticket:

Join us in Gallup, New Mexico at Red Rock Park from Wednesday, June 21, through Saturday, June 24, 2023, as America’s top junior high and high school rodeo athletes compete for big cash payouts and prizes. The Best of the Best Timed Event Rodeo offers eight timed events, including barrel racing, pole bending, breakaway roping, tie-down roping, team roping, and steer wrestling. In addition, there will be a special parent-contestant team roping and ribbon roping competition.

The contestants are from junior high and high schools. Don't let that dissuade you from attending. They put on a great show!

This is the time of the year that I really enjoy living in New Mexico.

For more information, go here. 

2025 Gallup Rodeos

Rodeo season is almost upon us in the Gallup, New Mexico area. This is my favorite times of the year in New Mexico.

So far, these are the rodeos scheduled:

The Gallup Lions Club Youth and Open Show Rodeo, a historic event with rough stock and timed events, is scheduled for June 12-14, 2025, and the Best of the Best Rodeo, featuring junior and high school athletes, will be held from June 21-24, 2025. 

Here's a more detailed breakdown:

Gallup Lions Club Youth and Open Show Rodeo:

• Dates: June 12-14, 2025
• Features: Rough stock and timed events, wooly and steer riding
• Stock Contractor: Casper Baca Rodeo Company
• Youth Rodeo Start Time: 5:00 PM on Thursday, June 12th
• Open Show Rodeo Start Time: 7:00 PM on Friday, June 13th
• Morning Slack: 9:00 AM on Saturday, June 14th
• Saturday Open Show Rodeo Start Time: 7:00 PM 

Best of the Best Rodeo:

• Dates: June 21-24, 2025 
• Location: Red Rock Park in Gallup, New Mexico 
• Participants: America's top junior high and high school rodeo athletes 
• Events: Eight timed events, including barrel racing, pole bending, breakaway roping, tie-down roping, team roping, and steer wrestling 
• Special Competitions: Parent-contestant team roping and ribbon roping 




• Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial August 1 - 10, 2025 (rodeo schedule not available)







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Gallup Area Rodeo Season Just Months Away

Above, from the 2019 Gallup Lions Club Rodeo. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The most enjoyable time living in New Mexico I have found is rodeo season. 

Since we're only a few months away from rodeo season in the Gallup, New Mexico area, I did some checking on the dates of them.

Above, from the 2019 Best of the Best Rodeo. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Some have not been scheduled as yet. The websites on rodeos in New Mexico have them listed as "TBA" (to be announced).

Some of the prominent ones are the Wild West Days Rodeo in Grants, which usually is held during Independence Day week; Wild Thing Championship Bull Riding; Lions Club Rodeo; Best of the Best Rodeo; and the high school and junior high school rodeos. 

Above, from the 2022 Wild Thing Championship Bull Riding. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial includes a rodeo and this year's will be held August 10-11 at the Red Rock Park Rodeo Arena. 

The Gallup Lions Club Rodeo is scheduled on June 14, 2024 - June 15, 2024 at Red Rock Park Rodeo Arena.

As more rodeos are scheduled, I will post them on this blog.

2023 Gallup Area Rodeos

Above, the 2022 WildThing Championship Bull Riding. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Last evening, I decided to head over to the El Rancho Hotel & Motel for some chicken enchiladas. Before going into the restaurant, I spotted some Gallup Visitor's Guide booklets on the front desk. Since they were free, I took one and headed over to the restaurant. 

Inside the guide, is a page of 2023 rodeo events to be held at Red Rock Park. The list is not complete as it doesn't include surrounding areas that also hold rodeos. While there, I added the rodeos to my phone's calendar.

I did some digging this morning and added a few more. This blog posting will be updated when more information is available.

To me, rodeo season is the best time of the year to live in the Gallup, New Mexico area.

Above, 2022 Best of the Best Rodeo. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Thus far, here's a list of rodeos to be held at Red Rock Park and surrounding areas:

NMHSRA/NMJHRA Rodeo - April 22-23.

Gallup Lions Club Youth Rodeo - June 15.

73rd Annual Gallup Lions Club Open Show Rodeo - June 16-17.

USTRC/Red Rock Classic Team Roping - May 13-14.

8th Annual Best of the Best Rodeo - June 21-June 24.

NSPRA Grants Wild West Days Rodeo (Grants, NM) - June 30-July 4.

Route 66  Showdown NTR Team Roping - TBA.

Navajo Nation Fair (Window Rock, AZ) - July 2-4.

WildThing Championship Bull Riding - July 7-8.

Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial -  August 4 - 13, 2023.

Turquoise NTR Team Roping Event - TBA.

Best of the Best Rodeo: Thursday Morning Draw

Above, this morning's calf roping event. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Rodeo season continues in the Gallup, New Mexico area.

This morning, I headed over to Red Rock Park Rodeo Arena for the Morning Draw timed events of the  Best of the Best Rodeo. The contestants are junior high and high schoolers.

I got there about 20 minutes after the barrel racing event started.

Following that was the tie down roping, parent ribbon roping, goat tying and steer wrestling. I didn't stay for the last two events as it was getting pretty hot out.

The rodeo continues through Saturday. I will likely go back before its over.

Some photos:

Best of the Best Rodeo June 22-25

Above, the 2019 bull-riding event. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

A week after the Gallup Lions Club Rodeo, the Best of the Best Rodeo will be held at Red Rock Park June 22-25, 2022.

According to their website:

Join us in Gallup, New Mexico at Red Rock Park from Wednesday, June 22, through Saturday, June 25, 2022, as America’s top junior high and high school rodeo athletes compete for big cash payouts and prizes. The Best of the Best Timed Event Rodeo offers eight timed events, including barrel racing, pole bending, breakaway roping, tie-down roping, team roping, and steer wrestling. In addition, there will be a special parent-contestant team roping and ribbon roping competition. 

If you have never been to a rodeo before, much less ones with junior high and high school riders, you've missed out on some great entertainment, and this one is free!

For more information, go here. 

2022 Gallup Area Rodeos

Above, a bull-riding event at Red Rock Park in 2019. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Updated 5-20-22

This evening, I did some checking on the dates of the rodeos in Gallup (Red Rock Park) for 2022 for when my ex-roommate Jessica comes to visit. 

The Gallup rodeos and dates are:

• Lions Club Rodeo - June 16 to 18
• Bloomer Trailers Best of the Best Rodeo - June 22 to June 26
• Wild Thing Bull Riding - July 8 to July 9
• Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial - August 11 to August 14 

In nearby Grants:

• Grants Wild West Days Rodeos -  July TBA

In nearby Crownpoint:

• Eastern Navajo Nation Fair and Rodeo -  July TBA 

In nearby Window Rock, Arizona:

• Navajo Nation July 4 Fair and Pro Rodeo - July 1 to 4

For these and other rodeos, go here.

Great To Be Back At Red Rock Park's Rodeo Arena

Above, the tie-down calf roping event. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

This evening, I went to Red Rock Park near Gallup to watch tonight's events of the Bloomer Trailers Best of the Best Timed Event Rodeo Competition.

From the Gallup Real True website:

The Bloomer Trailers Best of the Best Rodeo, put on by the City of Gallup, features the best contestants from junior high and high school in eight rodeo categories.

It sure was great to be back at Red Rock Park. No rodeos were held there last year, so the last time I was there was in 2019.

The events I watched included barrel racing, tie-down roping, goat tying and breakaway ropers. Participants comprised of both sexes.

Naturally, I brought along my camera with the Tamron zoom lens. The photo above was from my phone.

I will post photos that I took tomorrow.