How a Record-Breaking Season Pushed Adios Pantalones to His NFR Debut

Tricia Aldridge is seeing the Thomas and Mack arena after just one season in ProRodeo, she couldn't have done it without her record-breaking stallion, Adios Pantalones.

Lexi Smith Media/Photo Courtesy of Tricia Aldridge

The National Finals Rodeo season is just ahead, and many athletes are suiting up for the Thomas and Mack arena for the first time. After a legendary first season in the ProRodeo ring, Tricia Aldridge and her horse, Adios Pantelones, are making it to the NFR for the first time in their first season. 

The season has been record-breaking for the pair. He’s already passed the all-time leading barrel stallion earnings record and will now go on to see how much he can make in the NFR arena. The duo continues to raise the bar for the barrel racing industry as they currently sit at No. 11 in the world standings. With 87 rodeos done together this season, the duo has earned $141,182. 

Despite being so young, Aldridge has always believed her and Adios would make it far, she just didn’t totally expect it to be this season. 

“I thought this year was just going to be about seasoning him and trying to make the finals next year. And so for him to be able to pull it off is really just says so much about him. And just to be able to transition from the futurity to the rodeo so well.”

As of right now, the pair is working hard to do well in the NFR arena, after winning the majority of his earnings indoors, Aldridge is ready to take on the Thomas and Mack arena. 

“I feel like I have a lot of confidence, you know, coming into that type of setup. And then I see a lot of times, too, I feel like, you know, when they run young horses at the finals, it's not usually the horse that got them to the finals.”

The Bar is High For Tricia Aldridge and Adios Pantalones Ahead of the NFR

Photo Courtesy of Tricia / Photo by 870 Photographer

Although this high of a finish in their first season together was a little unexpected, Aldridge still has set the bar high for the pair heading into the NFR. After such a successful season, she wants to see him reach one million dollars in earnings and fire off a huge finish at the NFR itself. 

“Moving into the finals, I just would love to be able to place an average, you know, get some round checks. And it's my goal to stay on him for the 10 rounds. And then after the finals, I don't even know. I'm like, he's just done everything.”

The pair are currently running hot at the Texas Circuit Finals, placing in all four rounds. As the highest money-earning stallion barrel horse in the game, Aldridge is also standing Adios for the 2026 breeding season.

It’s safe to say Aldridge and Adios Pantalones have made a name for themselves in the rodeo community. In just their first year, they have marked themselves as ones to watch not only this season, but possibly for many seasons to come.

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