The sound of cheering crowds, roaring bulls and pounding hooves filled the Oakdale Saddle Club Grounds as its annual Rodeo kicked off last weekend for its 72nd year.
The event is deeply rooted in Western tradition and is one of Oakdale’s most anticipated events. Each year, the Rodeo brings community members together for a weekend centered on bull riding, livestock and heritage.
The Rodeo is always held on the second weekend of April. The event offered tickets that were available online for $20 during presale or $25 at the gate, with additional purchase options at select local outlets.
Oakdale was not always known as the Cowboy Capital of the World, but was originally named the “Clover Capital of the World,” and the city’s first event, the Clover roundup, was held in 1946. By 1957, the Oakdale Saddle Club had officially established what is now known as the Oakdale Rodeo.
The Rodeo drew attendees beyond the Central Valley community, including college students and an international visitor from Germany.
(Natalie Mejia)
Savannah Sahagun (senior, agricultural business), a Fresno State student who traveled to Oakdale for the event, said the experience was worth the trip.
“As someone who is studying agriculture, I think events like this are important because they show how Oakdale supports this kind of industry, especially since most of my family and friends come together for one of the best Rodeos around,” said Sahagun.
The Rodeo featured a variety of classic events that kept the crowd entertained throughout the day, including bull riding.
The top Bull riders of the day were 24-year-old Dawson Branton with a score of 85, 27-year-old Kyle Eaton with a score of 83 and 32-year-old Colby Demo with a score of 80.
Alongside Bull Riding events, horse riding events caught the attention of many and had the crowd on the edge of their seats as a rider takes on a bucking horse.
In addition, patriotism was on display during the national anthem as a woman rode a horse while holding the American flag, circling the arena.
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A Bull Rider can be seen competing at the Oakdale Rodeo on April 12th, 2026, in Oakdale.
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A rider can be seen at the Rodeo in Oakdale holding on as a horse thrashes around during a competition on April 12th, 2026, in Oakdale.
Devin Harwell, a frequent Oakdale Rodeo attendee, expressed his joy at seeing the patriotic display.
“It was a real symbol of America, seeing the horse racing so fast with the flag blowing in the wind,” Harwell said. “I had a drink in one hand and a corn dog in the other, and I said this is what being American is about.”
For first-time Rodeo attendee Estefany Esquivel, the Rodeo was a memorable experience with friends.
“This is my first time at the Rodeo, and so far it’s been such a great experience; I came with some friends and it’s incredible to see so many people all come together for their shared love of cowboy culture,” Esquivel said.
She went on to explain how welcoming and exciting the atmosphere felt, noting that she will be returning to the Oakdale Rodeo for years to come.
As the weekend came to a close, the annual Oakdale Rodeo proved once again to be a successful event that people travel from all over the county to attend. For both locals and visitors, it remained a celebration of tradition, community, and culture.
Elaine Livesey-Fassel • Apr 19, 2026 at 3:24 pm
While this Event might be fun for the human participants and enthusiastic crowds, to this proud american citizen, it is merely an example of man’s capacity to be cruel and exhibit our dominance over the unwilling animals victimized in this manner. Most of rodeo has nothing to do with ranching and for most of the animals it is merely a detour en route to the slaughterhouse. Real working ranch hands never routinely rode bulls or rode bareback or wrestled steer or practiced calf roping ( terrified babies) or performed cruel ‘steer tailing’ wherein a calf’s tail is almost broken off. Children witness this cruelty and perhaps come to think that hurting animals in this brutal way is acceptable which in a civilized society it is not. Enough! We surely can celebrate our riding skills and celebration of our Western Ways in a less harmful to animals fashion. Thank You!
Signal Staff • May 21, 2026 at 2:17 pm
Thank you for your feedback. When it comes to animal cruelty, The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association who sponsors the Oakdale Rodeo that we reported on has this to say on their website: “Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) athletes value their animals, as do the PRCA stock contractors that provide the livestock for the rodeos. Like most people, PRCA members believe animals should be provided proper care and treatment. The PRCA and its members value their animals and staunchly protect them with specifically created rules.” PETA also speaks about animal cruelty at rodeos in articles on their site. One article is quoted saying, “Countless animals have paid with their lives to satisfy humans’ desire to play cowboy in events such as calf roping, bull riding, steer wrestling, and bronc riding. Cattle and horses may be zapped with electric “hot shots” so that they’ll charge out of the chute, calves’ necks are twisted as they’re violently slammed onto the ground, and horses are viciously spurred into bucking..” Thank you again for your comment. We appreciate your time and feedback on our article.
Peggy W Larson, DVM MS JD • Apr 18, 2026 at 8:01 am
Dr. Robert Bay from Colorado autopsied roping calves and found hemorrhages, torn muscles, torn ligaments, damage to the trachea, damage to the throat and damage to the thyroid. These calves never get a chance to heal before they are used again. Meat inspectors including Drs. Haber and Fetzner who processed rodeo animals found broken bones, ruptured internal organs, massive amounts of blood in the abdomen from ruptured blood vessels and damage to the ligamentum nuchae that holds the neck to the rest of the spinal column.
Dr. C. G. Haber, a veterinarian with thirty years of experience as a USDA meat inspector, stated “The rodeo folks send their animals to the packing houses where I have seen cattle so extensively bruised that the only areas in which the skin was attached was the head, neck, legs, and belly. I have seen animals with six to eight ribs broken from the spine and at times puncturing the lungs. I have seen as much as two and three gallons of free blood accumulated under the detached skin.”
Animals and humans share the same pain and fear centers in the brain. The fear center is the amygdala. The pain centers are the pre-frontal cortex and the hypothalamus. Animals feel pain and fear the same as humans! Time to end rodeo animal abuse!
Signal Staff • May 21, 2026 at 2:16 pm
Thank you for leaving a comment. In regards to animal cruelty, The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association who sponsors the Oakdale Rodeo which we covered had this to say on their website: “Consistent proper treatment of animals by PRCA members – in and out of the arena – has been well documented by veterinarians who have witnessed the health and condition of the animals first hand. Scottsdale, Arizona equine veterinarian Dr. Jennifer Schleining has this to say about the PRCA, ‘The PRCA upholds the standard of humane care of rodeo animal athletes, and in my professional opinion rodeo remains a healthy, humane, family oriented sport.’” PETA also has many articles on their site about animal cruelty at rodeos. One article is quoted saying, “Rodeo performers have been documented beating, kicking, and shocking normally docile cows and horses in chutes and holding pens. “Bucking broncos” and steers are provoked with electric prods, sharp sticks, caustic ointments, and the pinching “bucking” strap. By the time the animals are released into the arena, they are frantic.” Thank you again for your comment. We appreciate you taking your time to comment and leave feedback on our article.
Eric Mills • Apr 17, 2026 at 5:15 pm
Nearly every animal welfare organization on Planet Earth condemns rodeo due to its inherent cruelty. Just imagine the public outcry if pet dogs were substituted for the terrified roping calves and wrestling steers….The United Kingdom (England/Scotland/Wales) outlawed all of rodeo back in 1934. Can the rest of the world be far behind? Rodeo is not a true “sport”–that term denotes willing, evenly-matched participants. Rodeo does not qualify. Rather, it’s mostly hype, a macho exercise in DOMINATION. It needs to end. Legislation is in order, local/state/federal. In the interim, BOYCOTT ALL RODEOS, THEIR ADVERTISERS AND CORPORATE SPONSORS. Follow the money.
Signal Staff • May 21, 2026 at 2:16 pm
Thank you for your comment. Regarding animal cruelty at the rodeo, The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association which sponsors the Oakdale rodeo that we reported on has this to say on their website: “Animal welfare is a major and ongoing initiative of the PRCA. Not only does the association have rules to ensure the proper care and treatment of rodeo livestock, but it also has several veterinary advisory panels and periodically hosts educational seminars for veterinarians and rodeo industry members.” PETA however has many articles on their site condemning the rodeo for being, “manipulative displays of human domination over animals, thinly disguised as entertainment. What began in the 1800s as a contest of skill among cowboys has become a show motivated by greed and big profits.” Again, thank you for your comment. We appreciate all feedback on the articles we publish.