Competitors Lock Up Last Spots in San Angelo Rodeo Finals

The last spots in Friday's finals were up for grabs in Thursday's performance at the San Angelo Rodeo.

Apr. 17, 2026 at 3:05am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a saddle bronc rider mid-ride, with the horse and rider broken into overlapping planes of vibrant colors representing the energy and excitement of the rodeo competition.The final round of the San Angelo Rodeo will see the top saddle bronc riders battle it out for the championship title in a high-energy, dramatic showdown.San Angelo Today

SAN ANGELO, TX – Every sports fan loves it when games come down to the wire to decide the winners. Competitors love it, too. Saddle bronc riding at the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo is going to be decided during a showdown at Friday night's championship round. Just three-and-a-half points separates the 11 men who will compete for the San Angelo title.

Why it matters

The close competition in the saddle bronc riding event at the San Angelo Rodeo highlights the excitement and drama of the final round, where the top competitors will battle it out for the championship title.

The details

Chase Brooks qualified for the National Finals Rodeo six straight years beginning in 2018, but injuries have sidelined him the last two years. He secured his spot in the San Angelo finals with an 86.5-point ride on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo's High Dive. Four-time world champion Zeke Thurston won the opening round with an 87.5-point ride on Carr's Uptuck.

  • On Thursday's 10th performance, Chase Brooks rode Pete Carr Pro Rodeo's High Dive for 86.5 points.
  • Zeke Thurston won the opening round with an 87.5-point ride on Carr's Uptuck.

The players

Chase Brooks

A 31-year-old saddle bronc rider from Deer Lodge, Montana, who now lives in Brock, Texas, with his wife and two daughters. He qualified for the National Finals Rodeo six straight years beginning in 2018 but has been sidelined by injuries the last two years.

Zeke Thurston

A four-time world champion saddle bronc rider.

Pete Carr Pro Rodeo

A rodeo livestock company that provided the horses for the saddle bronc riding event at the San Angelo Rodeo.

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What they’re saying

“At a lot of rodeos, it's just gambling, and there are a lot of factors. First, we had to get the right horse, and then we both have got to have the right day. So, you just show up do what we do all year, and I figure it's going to lay the way God has it planned.”

— Chase Brooks, Saddle bronc rider

“A couple years of injuries slowed me down, but every time I was hurt, I got to spend more time at home with the girls, and I was fortunate for that. There's always a reason He puts us somewhere. I think Him giving me a break like that was maybe the best thing that could ever happen to me.”

— Chase Brooks, Saddle bronc rider

“The energy's high in that building. It's a little bit smaller than the big, indoor rodeos like Houston, so the crowd really amplifies a bit more than other places. It fills up, and they have all the lights and the pyro. It's a really cool setting, and it fires a guy up.”

— Chase Brooks, Saddle bronc rider

What’s next

The final round of the San Angelo Rodeo will take place on Friday, with the top 11 saddle bronc riders competing for the championship title.

The takeaway

The close competition in the saddle bronc riding event at the San Angelo Rodeo showcases the excitement and drama of the final round, where the top cowboys will battle it out for the coveted championship title in front of an energetic hometown crowd.