Rodeo’s Toughest Test Returns to the Lazy E
When the clock starts ticking at the Lazy E Arena, there’s nowhere to hide. From March 5–7, 2026, the Cinch Timed Event Championship storms back into Guthrie, Oklahoma, bringing with it the most punishing, prestigious challenge in professional rodeo. Known across the Western world as the “Ironman of Rodeo,” the CTEC is not about one great run or one standout event. It’s about total domination across every timed discipline, over three relentless days, against the best all-around cowboys on the planet. This is where champions are exposed, legends are forged, and only the toughest survive.
Cinch Timed Event Championship
March 5–7, 2026
Lazy E Arena
Guthrie, Oklahoma
Five Events. Three Days. One Champion.
Unlike any other rodeo on the calendar, the Cinch Timed Event Championship demands mastery in five different events: team roping heading, team roping heeling, tie-down roping, steer wrestling, and steer roping. Across five high-pressure rounds, each competitor faces 25 total runs on cattle in just three days. There are no weak spots to hide, no time to recover from mistakes. Every second counts. Every run matters. The cowboy with the lowest cumulative time earns the right to call himself rodeo’s ultimate all-around athlete. With more than $200,000 in prize money on the line and a staggering $100,000 grand prize waiting at the end, the stakes are as heavy as the pressure.
The Best of the Best Answer the Call
The 2026 field is stacked with champions, veterans, and rising stars, each one capable of walking away with the title. Twenty-five elite cowboys from across the United States enter the Lazy E with one goal: survive the grind and outlast everyone else.
Defending champion Ketch Kelton returns after a jaw-dropping victory at just nineteen years old, looking to prove that his historic win was no fluke. Standing in his way are proven all-around forces like Seth Hall, Russell Cardoza, Riley Wakefield, Kyle Lockett, and Paul D. Tierney, each bringing years of experience and multiple CTEC appearances. Adding even more firepower, nine-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier Coleman Proctor makes his long-awaited CTEC debut, while Justin Shaffer steps into the lineup ready to seize opportunity on rodeo’s biggest all-around stage.
Hard Hits and Hard Decisions
The Cinch Timed Event Championship is unforgiving, and the 2026 roster reflects the physical toll this level of competition demands. Two-time world champion steer roper Tyler Wade was sidelined by a broken ankle, opening the door for Dalton Walker. Three-time NFR qualifier Kolton Schmidt withdrew due to back injury concerns, allowing Slade Wood to step in and take his shot. NFR steer wrestler Justin Shaffer replaces John Douch following injury, proving once again that at the CTEC, opportunity often comes when least expected, and only the prepared capitalize.
The Future Takes the Arena
Each evening at 5:00 p.m., the action continues with the Jr. Ironman Championship, included with every CTEC ticket. Ten of the nation’s top young competitors take on three rounds across four demanding events: heading, heeling, tie-down roping, and steer wrestling. It’s a glimpse into rodeo’s future, where tomorrow’s champions begin writing their own Ironman stories under the bright lights of the Lazy E.
Simply qualifying for the Cinch Timed Event Championship is a career-defining accomplishment. Preparing to compete is another battle entirely. Months before March, competitors grind through exhausting training schedules, sharpening every skill and conditioning both body and horse to withstand 25 runs in three days. Success at the CTEC requires explosive strength, precision timing, mental toughness, and an unbreakable will to push through pain and fatigue. This is not a rodeo for specialists. This is a war of endurance.
A Legacy Forged in Steel and Grit
Since its inception in 1985, the Cinch Timed Event Championship has fulfilled the vision of E.K. Gaylord II, the legendary builder and owner of the Lazy E Arena. His dream was to create a competition that crowned the most complete cowboy in the sport — rodeo’s true Ironman. Winning the CTEC is more than claiming a paycheck. It is a declaration. A statement that a cowboy has mastered every aspect of timed-event rodeo and endured one of the toughest tests the sport has to offer.
Few venues in the world carry the weight of history like the Lazy E Arena. Since opening in 1984, it has hosted iconic moments and career-defining performances. Though Gaylord’s dream of uniting the National Finals Rodeo and Steer Roping Finals under one roof lasted only one year, the Lazy E remains sacred ground for rodeo athletes. With continued renovations and world-class facilities, the Lazy E stands ready once again. In March 2026, it will host the ultimate proving ground, where iron wills meet iron horses, and only one cowboy earns the right to stand alone.
Last Updated on 02/06/2026 by Olivia Clements
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