Reno Rodeo Kicks Off With Cattle Drive and Crowns 2026 Xtreme Bulls Champion

The rodeo that has tagged itself the “Wildest Richest Rodeo in the West” has kicked off for the 2026 edition.

One of the highlights that marks the beginning of the festivities is the cattle drive that arrives into town on opening day of the Reno Rodeo. Around noon on Thursday, June 18 300 cattle came strolling in after a five day journey.

According to 2 News Nevada, the cattle drive begins at the Winnemucca Ranch and goes through the High Desert. It is something many look forward to each and every year.

With the cattle safely in town, there’s just one thing left to do...kick off the rodeo.

Xtreme Bulls Starts Reno Rodeo

The first event in the rodeo arena is the Xtreme Bulls competition. Forty of the best bull riders in the world of ProRodeo are all in the same place at the same time.

Those forty all get to ride one bull in the what is called the long round. Then the top 12 advance to the short round to determine who the champion will be.

In the long round, the world standings leader Tristen Hutchings rode Rosser Rodeo’s Tom Cat for 87.5 points to win $6,082. TJ Gray was right behind him with his 87-point ride to earn $4,621.

After the top 12 were named and moved on to the short round, the action continued to determine the champion. The bulls were strong, but the bull riders still put on quite a show for a packed grandstand. Colton Byram rode Western Rodeos’ Wee Willey and TJ Gray stayed on Rosser Rodeo’s Mr. Preifer to both score 91.5 points.

Hutchings bucked off short of the buzzer during the last ride of the night making TJ Gray the average champion for the event.

Gray rode two bulls a total of 16 seconds on a Thursday night in Reno, Nevada and collected $16,543 for his work. While some might say that’s a pretty good night’s work, it is really pay for a lifetime of commitment to a sport they love.

Complete Results for Reno Rodoe Xtreme Bulls

First round:
1. Tristen Hutchings, 87.5 points on Rosser Rodeo's Tom Cat, $6,028
2. TJ Gray, 87, $4,621
3. (tie) Colorado Kid Mackey and Braxton Whitesell, 86, $2,813 each
5. Eyer Morrison, 85.5, $1,406
6. (tie) Colton Byram and Josh Frost, 85, $904 each
8. (tie) Jeter Lawrence and Stetson Dell Wright, 84, $301 each.
Finals:
1. (tie) Colton Byram, on Western Rodeos' Wee Willey, and TJ Gray, on Rosser Rodeo's Mr. Preifert, 91.5 points, $3,885 each
3. (tie) Dustin Boquet and Braxton Whitesell, 89, $2,009 each
5. Colorado Kid Mackey, 88.5, $938
6. Hudson Bolton, 87, $670.
Average:
1. TJ Gray, 178.5 points on two head, $8,037
2. Colton Byram, 176.5, $6,162
3. Braxton Whitesell, 175, $4,554
4. Colorado Kid Mackey, 174.5, $2,947
5. Dustin Boquet, 172.5, $1,875
6. Hudson Bolton, 170, $1,340
7. Tristen Hutchings, 87.5 on one head, $1,072
8. Eyer Morrison, 85.5, $804.

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