After weeks of bracket competition, the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo’s (SASSR) top athletes squared off in the championship round, vying for the River Walk City’s top honors and one of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association’s (PRCA) largest payouts of the season.
Following a thrilling semifinals round, the championship field featured the top 11 athletes in each discipline competing for one of the PRCA’s most coveted titles. With nearly $1.7 million paid out, the Texas Swing stop has the potential to significantly impact the early world standings as competitors shift their focus to the spring run and RODEOHOUSTON.
In bareback riding, young gun and all-around standout Wacey Schalla emerged victorious aboard Calgary Stampede’s Disco Party. Schalla scored 91 points in the final round to claim $16,512 and climb to No. 2 in the world standings behind fellow National Finals Rodeo qualifier Jacob Lees.
Steer wrestler J.D. Struxness, chasing his eighth NFR qualification, captured the San Antonio title with a 3.6-second run — besting the field by four-tenths of a second. He earned $16,512 in the final round alone.
Team roping produced a tie atop the leaderboard. Lightning Aguilera and Wyatt Cox split the title with Kaleb Driggers and Junior Nogueira after both teams stopped the clock in 3.8 seconds. Cox, who narrowly missed the 2025 NFR with Aguilera, gains early momentum for the 2026 campaign. Driggers and Nogueira also add a strong Texas Swing start as they look ahead to Houston.
Saddle bronc riding turned into a family affair, with the Wright brothers claiming the top three positions. Reigning all-around and bull riding world champion Stetson Wright secured the win with a 90-point ride on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s R Watson’s Prairie Fire, extending his lead in the all-around race while boosting his bronc riding standing.
Calf roper John Douch stopped the clock in 7.1 seconds to win the round and $16,512. The Texas native notched his largest payday of the season as he begins his pursuit of a fifth NFR qualification.
Barrel racer Anita Ellis, returning from a heartbreaking 2025 injury, topped the field with a 14.16-second run to capture the championship.
In breakaway roping, Jaci Hammons delivered a blazing 2.0-second run to secure the title during Saturday night’s finale.
Idaho’s Tristen Hutchings claimed the bull riding championship with a 90.5-point ride aboard Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Soccer Mom. He earned $20,915, including go-round money, jumpstarting his 2026 season as he pursues a fifth NFR qualification.
Paying out nearly $1.7 million, the 76th edition of the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo once again proved pivotal in shaping the Texas Swing. The 2026 champions now turn their attention to the remainder of the spring run, carrying valuable momentum into the heart of rodeo season.