Rodeo Daily

Two California Natives Claim Championships at 2026 San Diego Rodeo

Petco Park hosted the unique San Diego Rodeo, where champions were crowned.
Emery Mask|
Hali Williams
Hali Williams | Fernando Sam-Sin

After a weekend packed full of concerts, rodeo, and excitement, San Diego Rodeo wrapped up its third annual event Sunday, January 18, at Petco Park. Nine champions were crowned in the ballpark, two of whom were California natives. RC Landingham of Hat Creek and Hayle Gibson Stillwell of Redcrest brought the San Diego Rodeo title home to the Golden State.

Throughout the weekend, two rounds were held to determine the highest money winners who advanced to the eight-man round on Sunday. After competing in the eight-man, the top four contestants with the most money earned their way to the finals later that afternoon.

The finals were a clean slate, where athletes competed head-to-head, with the fastest times and highest scores determining the San Diego Rodeo winners.

Bareback Riding

After battling it out in the first three rounds, RC Landingham managed to slide into the finals by winning $5,000. After an exceptional ride on C5 Rodeo’s Pretty Woman, Landingham went straight to the top with an 89.75.

Tie-Down Roping

After John Douch’s third-place finish in Round 1, he picked up momentum and won the other three rounds. Douch finished off his weekend in California strong, tying down his calf in 6.91 seconds during the finals. 

Breakaway Roping

With a 2.03 and a 1.86 already on the leaderboard, Hali Williams had to be quick to take home the $20,000 paycheck. Williams was able to get two swings off before launching her rope for a 1.81-second run to overtake the top spot and bring home the San Diego Rodeo buckle to Texas. 

Saddle Bronc Riding

Kade Bruno was the picture of consistency and secured his spot for the finals with his $5,750 in weekend earnings. In the finals, Bruno matched up with Macza Pro Rodeo’s Steely Dan for an 89.25-point ride for the win.

Steer Wrestling

Will Lummus flipping a steer in round two of the NFR
Nathan Meyer Photograph

Will Lummus made it to the finals with his Round 1 winnings. In the finals, Lummus threw his steer in 4.41 seconds to become the first back-to-back steer wrestling champion at San Diego Rodeo. 

Team Roping

After being able to scope out the competition, Rhen Richard and Jeremy Buhler made a business man run of 5.8 to become the 2026 San Diego Rodeo Team Roping Champions.

Barrel Racing

In the barrel racing, Hayle Gibson Stillwell and RDC DancingToTheLead, aka Fancy, made the most of the top of the ground, setting the pace for the rest of the field with a 15.499. After the dust settled, no one was faster than Gibson Stillwell, and she won her first San Diego Rodeo title.

Bull Riding

Jeremy Maisonneuve rode stellar all weekend, but it was JR Straford who capitalized on the clean slate for the finals with C5 Rodeo’s Shaboozie to the tune of 89.75. 

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Emery Mask
EMERY MASK

Emery Mask is from Amarillo, Texas, where she was raised in a rodeo family. She competed throughout her youth and later advanced to collegiate rodeo. Emery represented South Plains College twice at the College National Finals Rodeo before continuing her education and rodeo career at Tarleton State University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural communications. Emery is now an active member of the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association, with a Mountain States Circuit Finals qualification to her name. She also runs her own media business, Little Power Proof Creatives, and spends her free time pursuing a variety of creative hobbies. Whether she’s in the arena or behind the lens, Emery is passionate about celebrating the Western lifestyle through both competition and storytelling.

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