Mud flew, boots stomped, and rodeo fans filled the stands as the 60th Annual Burnet County Rodeo returned to the Burnet County Fairgrounds Friday and Saturday night for a weekend packed with tradition, competition, and community celebra- tion.
Gates opened each evening at 5:30 p.m., giving attendees time to visit local vendors set up beneath the stands before the rodeo action kicked off at 8 p.m.
But long before the first bull burst from the chute, the youngest cowboys and cowgirls took center stage during the popular Mutton Bustin’ heats. Winners from each heat earned a free pair of boots courtesy of Blair’s Western Wear.
Friday night’s crowd came dressed in red, white and blue for Patriotic Night, while Saturday evening transformed into a sea of pink during Pink Out festivities. Rain earlier in the week left the arena muddy Friday night, but the muck conditions did little to slow down contestants or dampen the excitement.
Opening ceremonies carried a strong patriotic spirit. Tess Murders, the 2025 Burnet County Rodeo Queen, presented the colors aboard her horse Slim while Mariah Shirley followed behind, circling the arena with the American flag waving proudly overhead.
Friday night also brought the announcement of the 2026 Burnet County Rodeo Royalty Court. Payton Brandt was crowned Queen, Jade Simon was named Duchess, and Emery Spradling earned the title of Princess.
The rodeo featured a full lineup of crowd favorite events including bronc riding, steer wrestling, tie down roping, breakaway roping, team roping, barrel racing, and bull riding. Younger attendees also enjoyed the calf scramble and boot scramble, while a new addition this year, the adult steer scramble, added extra laughter and chaos to the weekend lineup.
Keeping the crowd informed and energized throughout the weekend was pro rodeo announcer and emcee Ricky Bindseil. Between and during events, world famous rodeo clown Leon Coffee entertained the crowd with his trademark humor and arena antics that drew laughter from attendees of all ages.
Saturday night also included a special honor recognizing Johnnie Dale Bindseil, father of Ricky Bindseil, for his longtime support of the Burnet County Rodeo Association and his dedication to the community.
The rodeo also delivered plenty of memorable candid moments. Before Saturday night’s rodeo began, Mariah Shirley was overheard speaking calmly to her horse, “that’s enough dancing,” as the pair prepared to enter the arena. Later in the evening after the bronc riding competition, young attendee Kati Buck excitedly turned to her mother and asked, “did you see the horse putting her nose over the gate?”
Once the final rides and runs wrapped up each night, many attendees stayed to dance and visit with friends. The Jody Proctor Band provided music Friday night, while Ben Watson and the Hired Guns closed out Saturday evening with live entertainment that kept boots moving well after the rodeo ended.
Now six decades strong, the Burnet County Rodeo continues to blend longtime tradition with family fun, bringing generations together each spring for two nights of muddy boots, waving flags, rodeo grit and community spirit.
