Hondo Rodeo Fest recently announced a new partnership with Bucktown, the athlete-first bull riding organization founded by two-time PBR World Champion J.B. Mauney, connecting one of the sport’s most respected grassroots bull riding events with Hondo’s invitation-only, million-dollar rodeo competition.
The collaboration creates a new pathway for proven competitors to earn opportunities on Hondo Rodeo Fest’s growing national stage, beginning with professional bull rider Daniel Keeping. After winning the Bucktown Season 2 championship in May, Keeping earned an invitation to compete at Hondo Rodeo Fest Phoenix. He will join many of the world’s top rodeo athletes at Chase Field Nov. 13-15, where competitors will compete for a share of the event’s $1 million purse.
“J.B. Mauney is one of the most respected names in rodeo and has spent his career championing rodeo athletes. That’s exactly what this partnership is about,” said James Trawick, CEO of Hondo Rodeo Fest. “Hondo and Bucktown’s BuckJam are built around the same philosophy: putting athletes first and creating meaningful opportunities that move the sport forward. Daniel proved himself at BuckJam, and we’re ready to see him compete in Phoenix.”
Mauney founded BuckJam in 2025 as a proving ground for bull riders, giving competitors an opportunity to practice, compete and earn money. By its second season in 2026, the series had evolved into a six-event, publicly sponsored competition featuring an aggregate championship and a $20,000 season-finale prize.
Bucktown is an athlete-first rodeo brand dedicated to creating competitive opportunities for bull riders while helping grow the sport. Through its BuckJam series and other events, Bucktown showcases top talent, rewards elite performance and provides competitors with pathways to some of rodeo’s biggest stages.
“The sport hasn’t changed. The way it’s presented has,” Mauney said. “From day one, Bucktown and BuckJam have been about creating opportunities for rodeo athletes and rewarding the best competitors. Hondo is taking that same idea to a bigger stage. Daniel earned this opportunity, and now he gets to line up against some of the best in the world. That is how you move rodeo forward.”
The partnership reflects a shared commitment between Hondo Rodeo Fest and Bucktown to put athletes first, reward excellence and create a path for competitors to perform on premier stages.
Hondo Rodeo Fest returns to Chase Field Nov. 13-15 for its third consecutive year in Phoenix. The three-day event features an invitation-only rodeo competition with a $1 million purse, a free Western-themed street festival and nightly concerts featuring Tim McGraw, Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton, Turnpike Troubadours, Parker McCollum and Lynyrd Skynyrd.