GAINESVILLE, Texas — Rodeo returns to Cooke County this weekend with Rodeo Gainesville, a three-day UPRA/CPRA/CRRA-sanctioned event produced by Flying C Rodeo Co. and carrying $6,500 in added money.
Slack is set for Thursday, July 16, at 7 p.m. Main performances follow Friday, July 17, and Saturday, July 18, at 8 p.m. each night. The stop is listed on the Cowboys Professional Rodeo Association schedule as Rodeo Gainesville and is also promoted as part of the Will Cook Memorial Saddle Bronc Series.
What fans will see
The card covers bareback riding, saddle bronc, ranch bronc, bull riding, ladies barrel racing, steer wrestling, calf roping, ladies breakaway, and team roping. Performances are set between a minimum of seven and a maximum of 10 contestants per event, with slack offered only after performances fill. The series awards a champion buckle to the high-money winner under series rules.
Contestants entered through the Next Gen Rodeo App and call-in windows that closed July 12. Non-members may compete under a $25 permit; non-members who win $500 or more are required to purchase a UPRA membership. Cash-only entry fees are listed at $120 for most individual events and $310 per team for team roping.
An ag community that shows up year-round
A summer rodeo weekend lands in a county that still runs on agriculture — in the arena, in the classroom, and on working land.
Earlier this year, Gainesville ISD FFA and 4-H members earned honors at the Cooke County Livestock Show. In April, Lindsay FFA members Eli Fuhrmann, Sam Bell, Brian Fuhrmann, and Jaret Dulock placed second at Area in Farm Business Management and advanced to the state Career Development Event. Muenster followed with a state-level week of its own, as the MHS Welding team finished fourth at state and the Cotton Team advanced to the Texas Tech competition.
Those student pipelines feed the same culture that fills rodeo stands in July. Local producers and farm stands remain easy to find beyond the arena as well — see CCR's guide to where to buy farm-fresh products in Cooke County.
If you go
- When: Slack Thursday, July 16, 7 p.m.; performances Friday and Saturday, July 17–18, 8 p.m.
- Where: 3152 N. Grand Ave., Gainesville, TX 76240 (Gainesville Riding Club rodeo grounds)
- Sanctioning: UPRA / CPRA / CRRA
- Producer: Flying C Rodeo Co.
- Purse: $6,500 added
Ticket details and gate hours are not listed on the CPRA daysheet. Fans should confirm seating, parking, and payment policies at the grounds before arriving. The call-in entry line listed for this stop was 903-287-7852 during the July 8–10 window.