The American Rodeo Championship Weekend is set for May 22–23, 2026, at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, where 15 qualifier teams will battle for a shot to meet the top five teams from the 2025 world standings and chase one of rodeo’s biggest paydays.
The American format warrants a little explaining, where a full year of qualifying events and three regional finals have narrowed the field to 15 teams heading to Arlington. Those qualifier teams will rope Friday night, May 22, with the top five advancing to Saturday, May 23, where they’ll meet the five invited teams from the 2025 world standings.
From there, the field will be cut again before the final four teams rope for The American title, the $100,000 payout and, for the qualifiers, a shot at the $2 million bonus.
The American Rodeo 101
How the Field was Set
The 15 qualifier teams headed to Arlington earned their spots through The American’s three regional finals: West, East and Central. Each regional advanced five teams to Championship Weekend.
East Regional Qualifiers
- Luke Brown and Buddy Hawkins
- Owen Gillespie and Cole Walker
- Clay Smith and Coleby Payne
- Coy Rahlmann and Logan Medlin
- Cory Kidd and Carson Johnson
Central Regional Qualifiers
- Coleman Proctor and Travis Graves
- Billy Bob Brown and Blaine Vick
- Conley Kleinhans and Kyler Kanady
- Chad Masters and Jace Helton
- JC Yeahquo and Logan Moore
West Regional Qualifiers
- Pedro Egurrola and Michael Calmelat Jr.
- Dustin Egusquiza and JC Flake
- James Arviso and Levi Lord
- Trevor Brazile and Treston Brazile
- Kellan Johnson and Trae Smith
Friday Night: The Semifinals
The 15 teams that advanced out of the West, East and Central regionals will rope in the semifinals May 22. When the night ends, only the top five teams will move on to Saturday.
Saturday: The Invited Teams Enter
The top five teams from Friday night’s semifinals will advance to face the five invited teams from the 2025 world standings.
Invited Teams
- Andrew Ward and Jake Long
- Kaleb Driggers and Junior Nogueira
- Clint Summers and Jade Corkill
- Kolton Schmidt and Jonathan Torres
- Tanner Tomlinson and Kaden Profili
Those 10 teams will rope in Saturday’s Showdown Round, with the top four advancing to the Championship Round.
The Championship Round
The final four teams will rope one more time for The American Rodeo team roping title.
Each event winner at The American earns $100,000, but the biggest storyline is the $2 million qualifier bonus. That bonus is only available to athletes who came through the qualifier system, meaning the teams that advanced through the regionals are the only ones eligible to rope for the extra money.
So, for the invited teams, Saturday is about winning The American title. For the qualifier teams, it’s about winning the title and having a chance at the $2 million bonus.
The American Rodeo Championship Weekend kicks off Friday, May 22, with the semifinals on FS2. Saturday’s Showdown Round airs on FS1, followed by the Championship Round on FOX.
The American Rodeo Championship Weekend Schdule
Friday, May 22
- Box office opens: 5 p.m.
- Gold Seats ticket holders check-in: 5 p.m.
- Dirt Suite check-in: 5:30 p.m.
- Doors open: 6:30 p.m.
- Opening ceremonies: 7:15 p.m.
- The American Rodeo Semi-Finals: 7:30 p.m.
- Midland in concert: Immediately following the conclusion of the rodeo
Saturday, May 23
- Box office opens: 10 a.m.
- Gold Seats ticket holders check-in: 10 a.m.
- Dirt Suite check-in: 10:30 a.m.
- Doors open: 11:30 a.m.
- Opening ceremonies: 12:15 p.m.
- The American Rodeo Showdown Round: 12:30 p.m.
- Chris Young live in concert: 3 p.m.
- The American Rodeo Championship Round: 4 p.m.
