Categories: Rodeo News

Salinas Rodeo Highlights 2015

Written by

Joe Frost

As any cowboy or cowgirl who has a love for rodeo knows, there is perhaps no more exciting event than the California Rodeo Salinas. This year’s event, which took place July 16-19 in Salinas, California, was the biggest and best yet. With more than 700 cowboys and cowgirls competing for more than $400,000 in prize money, the competition was as fierce as ever for the money as well as the prized gold and silver Salinas Belt Buckle, which symbolizes the best of the best at the rodeo.

Salinas Rodeo History

Randall Carlisle

First held in 1911 and known as the Wild West Show, the Salinas Rodeo has continued to grow. Attendance continued to soar throughout the decades, despite events such as the Great Depression and World War II gripped the nation. As the years went on, famous celebrities including Clint Eastwood and Amanda Blake, better known as “Miss Kitty” from the television classic “Gunsmoke,” appeared at the rodeo. Other changes that came along included a massive replay screen, additional seats to double seating capacity, and the creation of the Historical Museum.

Media Coverage

Sage Kimzey

As one of the top 20 regular-season rodeos in the United States and Canada, the Salinas Rodeo in California is one event that any cowboy or cowgirl simply cannot miss. This year’s event boasted an attendance of more than 50,000 fans at the Salinas Sports Complex, marking one of the biggest crowds yet for this annual event. Media coverage for the event has also grown over the years, with this year’s event having coverage from the Cowboy Lifestyle Network, Ak-Chin Indian Community and the Earnhardt Auto Road Team. With its pageantry and non-stop excitement over the four-day period, the media spotlight should only continue to shine brighter on Salinas.

Events and Results

Richmond Champion

As usual, the events at this rodeo offered more excitement and suspense than almost any cowboy or cowgirl from the U.S. or Canada could handle. A number of events were held this year, including:

Team Roping
Bull Riding
Steer Wrestling
Saddle Bronc Riding

Rusty Allen

As has been the case almost every year, the results came down to the wire. When the dust settled, some of the big winners included Shane Proctor in Bull Riding, Jake Cooper and Tyler McKnight in Team Roping, Ty Erickson in Steer Wrestling and Christina Richman in the WPRA Barrel Race.
With this year’s competition completed, fans and competitors in the United States and Canada are already counting the days until the 2016 event takes place. And if this year’s results were any indication, next year’s show is poised to be bigger and better than ever.

Special CLN Thanks to Our CLN Sponsors:

Jodi Erpelding

I grew up on a Midwest farm with dirt under my fingernails and the sound of wind rustling through cornfields. My childhood was all about 4H – raising pigs and horses, learning to bake and sew, and discovering the magic of transforming a garden into jars of summer sunshine. Those years taught me the value of hard work, the thrill of seeing a project through to the end, and the simple joy of creating something beautiful. A country girl with a need for speed and a thirst for adventure. Maybe that's why I love the feeling of wind in my hair – whether I'm cruising down a dusty road on my Harley or tackling a mountain trail on my trusty mountain bike. Some of my earliest memories of rodeo are watching my father compete at small local events. That's also where my love for country music comes in – long car rides listening to 8 tracks. The lyrics and melodies always spoke to my soul. These days, you'll find me cheering on the cowboys and cowgirls at rodeos, two-stepping to my favorite bands, belting out a country tune at a concert or sharing stories and laughter with friends around a bonfire. When I'm not soaking up the country life and getting my boots dirty, I'm a nurse, caring for folks in my community. Follow along for more stories from the heart of rodeo and country life!