The “California Run” is a term known throughout ProRodeo to describe a collection of rodeos on the Western half of the US that fall between the winter rodeos and the “Summer Run,” which begins with the Reno Rodeo in late June.
For out-of-staters, it’s a great opportunity to enjoy gorgeous weather and get warmed up for the summer run. For California Circuit competitors like 2022 Year-End Circuit Champion Hanna Hundsdorfer, it’s a chance to go at calves over a longer setup and round up circuit cash.
“California is a different setup for all events,” Hundsdorfer said. “They make you score and really rope. Plus, Oakdale was known as the cowboy capital forever so I feel like rodeo has roots here.”
The Breakaway Roping Journal caught up with Hundsdorfer and Salina, California’s Allie Hoskins to get the inside track on the notorious California run.
Table of contents
Oakdale Saddle Club Rodeo (Completed)
- Oakdale, CA
- April 13–14
- Added money: $12,878
Results: 1. Bailey Patterson, 2.7 seconds, $2,704; 2. Josie Conner, 2.8, $2,318; 3. (tie) Whitlee Burgess, Calli Kaufman, Suzanne Williams and Paige Wiseman, 3.0, $1,481 each; 7. Taylor Murray, 3.1, $773; 8. Morgan Thompson, 3.2, $515; 9. Josie Pereira, 3.3, $386; 10. Callahan Otoupalik, 3.4, $258.
Red Bluff Round-Up
- Red Bluff, CA
- April 19–21
- Added money: $8,500
- Breakaway slack: Thursday, April 18
Hundsdorfer: “Red Bluff feels like a little town, but so many people come to the rodeo. I like there arena—you have to score them out though. you can’t nod and go. It makes you rope sharp because you have to go down there a little ways.”
Clovis Rodeo
- Clovis, CA
- April 25–28
- Added money: $15,000
- Breakaway slack: Monday, April 22
Fast fact: Hundsdorfer won the Clovis Rodeo in 2023 with an aggregate of 16.6 seconds on four head.
Lakeside Rodeo
- Lakeside, CA
- April 25–28
- Added money: $3,500
Hundsdorfer: “This is the first year for the breakaway in Lakeside. I feel like I’ve been there for an amateur rodeo, but it was a long time ago.”
Stonyford Rodeo
- Stonyford, CA
- May 3–4
- Added money: $2,000
Hoskins: “Stonyford is a good rodeo in Northern California—it’s off the beaten path with a lot of local support. It’s a great permit rodeo.”
Riverdale Rodeo
- Riverdale, CA
- May 5
- Added money: $650
Hundsdorfer: “Riverdale’s right around the corner for me. I high school rodeoed there, so going there makes me feel young again. The people are super nice and 2023 was the first year they had breakaway there. The arena is kind of funny-shaped. It’s narrower towards the box and widens out towards the middle.”
California run holdouts #Addbreakaway
Two West Coast rodeos that haven’t jumped on the breakaway train yet are the Redding Rodeo and the Wild Rogue Pro Rodeo in Central Point, Oregon, both taking place May 16–18.
Rowell Ranch Rodeo
- Hayward, CA
- May 18–19
- Added money: Unknown
Hoskins: “Hayward’s kinda cool, they run all the bucking horses off a steep hill with the American flag in the beginning.”
Glennville Round-Up Rodeo
- Glennville, CA
- May 26
- Added money: $2,001
Hundsdorfer: “Glennville’s a good one. It’s up in the mountains—you’ll get carsick going up there. It’s a good rodeo and for it being up in the mountains they get a good crowd.”
Santa Maria Elks Rodeo
- Santa Maria, CA
- May 30–June 2
- Added money: Unknown
Hoskins: “They have incredible hospitality. Their committee has been one of the best I’ve ever dealt with. They have home-cooked meals there and parking is easy.”
Livermore Rodeo
- Livermore, CA
- June 8–9
- Added money: $5,000
Hoskins: “It’s a little bit faster than other California setups.”
Old Santa Ynez Days
- Santa Ynez, CA
- June 22–23
- Added money: $10,000
Hoskins: “It happens at the casino, and it’s like a pop-up rodeo. They put the arena in a field and it’s a pretty standard setup for California. In 2022 it pulled a lot of girls from Reno because it has such good added money.”
California Rodeo Salinas
- Salinas, CA
- July 18–21
- Added money: Unknown
Hundsdorfer: “Salinas is fun. They have great hospitality and you come out of the head box over there.”
The California run is tempting for ProRodeo breakaway ropers across the US, and with a little planning and the ability to score out calves, the trip could be worth it.
