Top cowboys and cowgirls will compete for a half million dollars in prize money in the 2026 Cinch United Finals Rodeo (UPRA Finals) Oct. 23 to 25 as part of the Brazos Valley Fair & Rodeo at the Brazos County Expo Complex.
The rodeo will include bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, breakaway, team roping, tie-down roping, barrel racing and bull riding, as well as fan-favorite youth events including the Mutton Bustin’ competition, which will begin at 6:30 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday. Sunday’s event will kick off at 2:30 p.m. In addition to the rodeo, the expo fair will include live musical entertainment, livestock events, a carnival, food vendors, creative art displays and a steak cook-off, among many other activities.
General admission tickets to the expo are $10 and include entrance to the fairgrounds, the concerts, AgLand, livestock shows, shopping and fairway shows. A $30 ticket includes admission to both the expo and the rodeo. Carnival rides are sold separately.
For those patrons purchasing the $10 ticket, giant jumbotron screens located throughout the grounds will be broadcasting the rodeo. Patrons may purchase tickets online at brazosvalleyfair.com/p/tickets. Day-of tickets may be purchased as well, but for those interested in attending the rodeo, advance purchase is recommended due to limited seating.
An annual celebration of agriculture, education and community, the rodeo and expo fair benefit youth across the Brazos Valley and the state of Texas. The organization reinvests revenue beyond operating expenses directly into its mission through youth scholarships, educational programming and ongoing improvements to the Brazos County Expo Complex. These efforts allow the event to support deserving students while maintaining a premier facility for exhibitors, competitors and visitors.
Slated to appear on the expo’s center stage are Randall King (Oct. 23), the Randy Rogers Band (Oct. 24) and Garrett Talamantes (Oct. 25). Guests can also enjoy the junior livestock events that include everything from goats and heifers to steer and swine. A highlight of the rodeo is the Mutton Bustin’ competition in which contestants between the ages of 3 and 7, and weighing 55 pounds or less, ride on the back of a sheep, holding on as long as they can — hopefully for a full eight seconds.
Avery Fisher, manager of the Brazos Valley Fair & Rodeo, said this year’s rodeo is even more exciting because of its designation as a UPRA finals event.
“These cowgirls and cowboys have worked hard all year racking up points to make it here, where they will ultimately compete for the top prize money,” she said. “It will be an action-packed rodeo representing some incredible competitors from throughout the region. Every ride and every fraction of a second will count. And, since the rodeo is sharing the weekend with the Brazos Valley Fair, the whole atmosphere here will be electric.”
Fisher said that, in addition to the rodeo, the fair is considered one of the premier livestock shows in the Brazos Valley, with young exhibitors showcasing the results of their hard work, dedication and commitment to agriculture.
For tickets or more information on the Brazos Valley Fair & Rodeo, please visit brazosvalleyfair.com.
