With its long score and multiple events occasionally happening at the same time, there are few rodeos quite like the Hall of Fame Rodeo tucked away in Monterey County.

Not only is California Rodeo Salinas one of the most unique shows in ProRodeo, it’s the largest and most popular in America’s most populous state.

Here’s everything you need to know before it gets started.

Athletes To Watch

Since the beginning of July, World No. 13 Steer Wrestler Bridger Anderson has posted five runs faster than 5.0 seconds. Three of those ended in round wins for Anderson, including two in Calgary. Although he has struggled in Salinas in recent years, Anderson is also the 2022 champion of this rodeo.

Bareback rider Jacob Lees has won the round on three of his last seven rides and four of those rides have been for at least 88 points, including a 91 for second in Calgary last weekend. He is averaging 86.5 points per ride in July and briefly rose to the No. 1 spot in the World Standings last week before settling in behind Bradlee Miller.

Since the beginning of July, James Arviso/Levi Lord are catching 80 percent of their steers and have seven times of 5 flat or faster. They also won Greeley and Reno to begin the Summer Run. Their stellar start in their new partnership has them sitting No. 3 in the World.

Saddle bronc rider Wyatt Casper is fresh off of a win in Calgary, which brought him from No. 8 to No. 4 in the World, and is averaging 85.4 points per ride since the beginning of June. He’s had success in Salinas before, winning the rodeo in 2024.

Tristen Hutchings has covered in six of his last nine bulls for an average of 88.5 points. He’s earned three round wins in that period too, one of those as part of a 3-for-4 performance in Calgary. Hutchings is one of two bull riders in the World with over $100,000 this season.

World No. 3 saddle bronc rider Kade Bruno has been nothing short of excellent since July began. He has five Top 3 Go-Round finishes and six scores of 88 or better since the beginning of the month. Bruno made the Four-Man Shootout in Calgary, where he finished third, and also placed in the Top 5 in Salinas each of the last two seasons.

Stats To Know

Since 2022, the bareback riding winner has finished with an average aggregate score of 172.13 points, about 86 per ride. Overall, there have been just five rides marked more than 87 points in those last four years.

With five rounds and a long score in the team roping, consistency is rewarded over speed. Since 2022, only one team has won a round and also won the Average, Rhen Richard and Jeremy Buhler were 8.4 seconds to win the Finals in 2022.

Each of the last four steer wrestling winners have won by at least 0.9 seconds with the average margin of victory being 1.47 seconds.

In the barrel racing, seven of the 16 rounds since 2022 have been won by the eventual Average winner. That included two champions who won multiple rounds, Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi in 2022 and Tiany Schuster in 2024.

Since 2022, just five bull riders have covered both bulls in Salinas and each rider who did so won at least one round. On average, an 87 has been enough to get a round win at Salinas.

Last Year’s Winners

Bareback Riding: Jayco Roper was 87 twice, winning both rounds and the Average with 174 on two.

Saddle Bronc Riding: Damian Brennan was 86.5 in Round 1, placing second, and followed that with an 87.5 to win the Short Round and ultimately the Average.

Bull Riding: Jordan Spears was 89 on Four Star Rodeo’s Slugger to win Round 1 and placed second in the Final Round with an 85.5. He was 174.5 on two head and won the Average by two points.

Steer Wrestling: Mike McGinn was 21.3 seconds on three to win the Average. He won the First Round with a 6.5, was third in Round 2, and second in the Finals.

Tie-Down Roping: Dylan Hancock was seventh, third, and second, cashing three checks along the way to winning the Average with 30.1 seconds on three.

Team Roping: Tanner Tomlinson/Travis Graves only cashed checks in two rounds, but still placed first in the Average with an aggregate time of 48.5 seconds on four.

Barrel Racing: Jordan Driver collected three checks in four rounds on her way to winning the Average. Driver won the First Round with a 16.20 and was 64.84 on four head.