The stage is set for the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo, which delivered several close contests in 2025.

The SASSR is a tournament-style rodeo just like Fort Worth, but it can be a bit more grueling than its Texas Swing brethren. Instead of two performances per bracket, there are three, and the Wild Card comes after the Semifinals in San Antonio, meaning there are 12 athletes competing in the Finals rather than eight. On top of that, the athlete with the most money wins. That’s usually the Short Round winner, but as we saw last year, that’s no guarantee.

In 2026, Bradlee Miller, Stetson Wright, Dawson Hay, and Tuf Cooper are among those defending titles, while athletes like Wyatt Casper, Dustin Egusquiza, Riley Pruitt, and Kassie Mowry are looking to extend impressive Short Round streaks in San Antonio.

Below, we have you covered on everything you need to know, from what it will take to win the rodeo in each event to refreshers on how things shook out a year ago.

The action begins Thursday night.

BAREBACK RIDING

What to Know: In the past five years in San Antonio, the winning ride has averaged 91.3 points.

What Happened Last Year: Bradlee Miller pulled off a rare feat by winning San Antonio without winning the Short Round. He finished second in the Finals with 89 points, but because of his dominance in Bracket 5 and a win in the Semifinals, he accumulated enough money to top rookie Sage Allen, despite Allen riding for 90. In San Antonio, the athlete who earns the most money is declared the winner, and the vast majority of the time, that is the Short Round winner.

Athletes to Watch: A year ago, Miller scored 87.5 or better on four consecutive rides, earning three round wins in the process. Mason Clements won San Antonio in 2020 and hasn’t missed a Short Round since. Cole Reiner has made five consecutive Short Rounds in San Antonio, winning the event in 2024.

STEER WRESTLING

What to Know: Brandon Harrison’s 4.3 seconds in the Short Round was the slowest winning time since Ty Erickson’s 3.8-second run won the event in 2017. Tyler Waguespack also won with a 3.8-second run in 2020.

What Happened Last Year: Brandon Harrison was 4.3 seconds in the Short Round, which won him the event. He was 3.4 seconds in the Third Round of Bracket 2, which was the fastest run San Antonio saw last year.

Athletes to Watch: Tyler Waguespack and Will Lummus are the only two steer wrestlers to have appeared in the last two Short Rounds. Tucker Allen won his first World Championship this past December and has appeared in two of the last four SASSR Short Rounds.

TEAM ROPING 

What to Know: Dustin Egusquiza and Levi Lord went 3.5 seconds in the First Round last year. It was the fastest run in San Antonio since the duo went 3.5 seconds on their way to winning the event in 2023. However, they have since begun roping with new partners. Additionally, half of the teams in last year’s Short Round competed in December’s NFR.

What Happened Last Year: Egusquiza and Lord took the win with a 4.1-second run in the Short Round, giving them two San Antonio titles in the last three years. Clay Smith and Colbey Payne finished second, earning $19,958.

Athletes to Watch: Dustin Egusquiza has made the Short Round six straight years. He will be roping with JC Flake in Bracket 4 this year. Nelson Wyatt/Jonathan Torres made three runs of 4.9 or faster last year, including a 3.6 in the Wild Card, and recently set an arena record in Fort Worth.

SADDLE BRONC RIDING

What to Know: In each of the last two years, there has been only one contestant in the Short Round who had never been to the National Finals.

What Happened Last Year: Dawson Hay and Coleman Shallbetter were both 90 points in the Short Round, but Hay edged Shallbetter in total earnings, $23,908–$22,857.

Athletes to Watch: Dawson Hay has made the past two Short Rounds, Sage Newman has made the past three, and Wyatt Casper has made the past four.

TIE-DOWN ROPING

What to Know: 7.2 seconds in the Short Round has won the past four years.

What Happened Last Year: The top four runs in last year’s Short Round were each separated by one-tenth of a second. Tuf Cooper won the event, with Seth Hall, John Douch, and Shad Mayfield finishing behind him.

Athletes to Watch: John Douch has made the past two Short Rounds, Riley Pruitt has made the Finals for five consecutive years, winning in 2023. Tuf Cooper won last year and also won in 2022.

BARREL RACING

What to Know: There were 22 runs faster than 14 seconds flat in 2025 compared to 31 in 2024.

What Happened Last Year: Megan McLeod-Sprague won the event with a 13.74-second Short Round run. McLeod-Sprague edged out the eventual 2025 World Champion Kassie Mowry by one one-hundredth of a second.

Athletes to Watch: Kassie Mowry has made the past three Finals in San Antonio, winning in 2024 and 2023. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi and Wenda Johnson have each appeared in the past two Short Rounds.

BULL RIDING

What to Know: Every winner since 2017 has been at least 90 points.

What Happened Last Year: Stetson Wright went 91.5 atop Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Ringling Road, earning his second SASSR title. Tyler Bingham produced the only other qualified ride in the Short Round, riding for 86.5 on Surprised of Pickett Pro Rodeo.

Athletes to Watch: Current World No. 1 Cooper James has made the in the last two Short Rounds and is the only one who has been to consecutive Finals.

Wright is always a threat of course and he has already won five rounds in the 2026, notching two 90-point rides along the way.