Poly Royal Rodeo 2023

San Luis Obispo, California – Get ready for the best rodeo in the West! The Poly Royal Rodeo is about to kick off on April 12th-15th, 2023! The event will be held at the Cotton Rosser Rodeo Complex. The Poly Royal Rodeo performances will begin at 6:30 pm on Friday and Saturday nights. Gates will open at 5:00 pm both evenings. 

Schedule

Wednesday, April 12

Cal Poly Showcase and Concert (Student-Only Event)

• Time: Gates open at 5:30 pm and Showcase kicks off at 6:30 pm.
• Location: Cotton Rosser Rodeo Complex
• Ticket Price: $20 for students. Limited capacity. 
• Details: A student-only night featuring a rodeo showcase followed by a concert by Ryan Griffin. You don’t want to miss out on this fun event. Concessions and apparel will be available for purchase during the event. 
• *Tickets are sold out. 

Thursday, April 13

Alumni Roping

• Time: 10:00 am
• Location: Cotton Rosser Rodeo Complex
• Ticket Price: $100 per entry
• Details: The time is now! Grab your partner and participate in the annual pick one, draw one Alumni Roping. For more information and how to register go to cafes-rodeo.calpoly.edu.

Poly Royal Banquet

• Time: 5:00 pm
• Location: Madonna Inn Expo Center
• Ticket Price
  • GA: $75
  • 12 and under: $25
  • 2 and under: Free 

• Details: Come celebrate the rodeo team, see students receive well-earned scholarships, and hear from key leadership about program updates. The evening will also include a silent and live auction, dinner, apparel, and live music. 

Friday, April 14

Poly Royal Rodeo Performance sponsored by Smarty

• Time
  • Gates Open at 5:00 pm
  • The rodeo performance kicks off at 6:30 pm.
  • A concert will follow the rodeo performance at 8:30 pm and end at 10:00 pm.

• Location: Cotton Rosser Rodeo Complex
• Tickets
  • GA: $50
  • 12 and under: $20
  • 2 and under: Free
  • *Tickets are sold out. 

• Details: This is the time to watch student-athletes compete in the first performance of the Poly Royal Rodeo followed by a concert. There will be an opening performance by Kylie Frey and a performance by Justin Lawrence and The Double Average Band. Concessions and apparel will be available for purchase. Seats are limited.

Saturday, April 15

Poly Royal Finals sponsored by Premier Ag

• Time
  • Gates Open at 5:00 pm
  • The rodeo performance kicks off at 6:30 pm.
  • A concert will follow the rodeo performance at 8:30 pm and end at 10:00 pm.

• Location: Cotton Rosser Rodeo Complex
• Tickets
  • GA: $50
  • 12 and under: $20
  • 2 and under: Free
  • *Tickets are sold out. 
• Details: The final performance of Poly Royal where athletes will compete for the coveted Poly Royal buckles. After the rodeo, there will be a concert by Chancey Williams.  Concessions and apparel will be available for purchase. Seats are limited.

Photo Credit: Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Rodeo Team

The Cal Poly Rodeo Program

The Cal Poly Rodeo program is open to all students who comply with Cal Poly student athlete requirements. The requirements include:

• Purchase of a National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) card and compliance with NIRA eligibility requirements.
• Enrollment in AG 243-02 (Advanced Competitive Rodeo) during competing quarters.
• Attendance at scheduled member meetings, practice sessions (varies by quarter), and program events.
• Compliance with the Cal Poly Rodeo program member code and the Cal Poly student-athlete code.

The Cal Poly Rodeo points team competes for team points throughout the competitive rodeo season. The team is selected at the coach’s discretion and consists of six men and four women, all of whom are also members of the Cal Poly Rodeo program. Individuals on the points team receive partial compensation for travel expenses and scholarships in-kind for boarding expenses aside from earning team points.

Cal Poly Rodeo Coach Ben Londo

Ben Londo is a PRCA cowboy (Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association) since 2003. Londo is a three-time Saddle Bronc Champion for the Columbia River Circuit and a proud Cal Poly Mustang who graduated in 2007 with a B.S. in Construction Management. While Londo was on the Cal Poly Rodeo Team he earned Bareback Riding and All-Around Championship titles for two running years at the College National Finals Rodeo. Londo has been the coach for The Cal Poly Rodeo Team since the fall of 2013 and since then the team has continued to thrive as one of the top competitive college teams in the West Coast Region. Londo aspires to set up students’ strengths both inside and outside the arena. He does this by stressing the importance of a commitment to both academics and practice.

Pictured Coach Ben Londo – Left Photo Credit: Bob Click – Right Photo Credit: Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Rodeo Team

The History of Cal Poly Rodeo

The Cal Poly Rodeo program has earned 44 national titles since 1956. This has made it one of the most winning programs in National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association history and has been bringing national recognition to Cal Poly and its supporters. On April 8, 1939, is when the Cal Poly rodeo program had its first intercollegiate rodeo held on the C Bar G Ranch near Victorville, California. This is where 15 student-athletes represented Cal Poly and competitors Carl Miller and Jim Blake began its winning tradition. The first Cal Poly Rodeo was held in 1951 where Don Koester and Cotton Rosser continued Cal Poly’s winning tradition in front of 4,000 spectators. In 1960 Cal Poly captured its first NIRA (National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association) with more to follow in 1970, 1971, 1972, and 1973. Cal Poly has a long list of national champions and continues to be a recognized force in college rodeo. There have been some of the most brilliant student rodeo athletes that’ve graduated from Cal Poly and gone on to compete and win in the professional rodeo circuit.

Photo Credit: University Archives, Cal Poly

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