PECOS, Texas – This west Texas community of nearly 15,000 folks is about to experience a population explosion.
The reason is the West of the Pecos Rodeo, the World’s First Rodeo and home of some of the greatest competition in Western sports. The history tells a brilliant tale, but the future might be even brighter, thanks to the hard work and dedication of the volunteers that produce the annual event.
“Because of our great partners, we were able to increase our ‘added money’ starting this year,” rodeo committee chairman Clay Ryon McKinney said of the local dollars that will be mixed with contestants’ entry fees to make up the overall purse. “We had a lot of people who stepped up to make this happen, and we think it’s going to just help make our rodeo even better.”
That’s why the community is ready to host an influx of cowboys and cowgirls into Reeves County for this year’s rodeo, set for 8 p.m. Wednesday, June 25-Saturday, June 28, at Buck Jackson Arena in Pecos. Contestants are always seeking incentives, and the folks in Pecos have rolled out a doozy. The local dollars added in the mix have almost doubled, from $97,200 a year ago to $180,000 in 2025.
“That’s a hell of a good incentive to go to Pecos,” said Jake Finlay, a saddle bronc rider from Goodiwindi, Queensland, Australia, who shared the title a season ago with Montanan Sage Newman. “It seems like the money’s starting to match the level of stock. We’ve still gone to Pecos because of those good horses, but increasing the added money is definitely going to help a lot.”
Finlay was a college champion at Oklahoma Panhandle State University and has won the national circuit title, too. Now living in Canyon, Texas, with his wife, Janie, and their newborn daughter, he’s eager to earn his first qualification to the National Finals Rodeo. He’s been close on several occasions over his career, finishing among the top 25 three times, but he’s never quite earned a shot over the hump. He finished 21st a year ago, just six spots out of making that magical trip to Las Vegas in December.
“Winning Pecos last year was incredibly important,” said Finlay, 30. “Making a good ride on a good horse like that before we get right into the deep of the rodeo season gave me a hell of a lot of confidence going into the rest of the season.”
Steer wrestler Tucker Allen utilized his 2025 victory in Pecos to catapult him to his first NFR. He also won the Reno (Nevada) Rodeo title the same week, which helped him build momentum to earn a spot in ProRodeo’s grand championship. He finished 11th in the world standings with $185,000, with nearly half coming during his 10-day run in Las Vegas.
“Winning Pecos was pretty damn cool,” said Allen, 25, of Ventura, California. “That’s one of the rodeos you always want to win. It’s like a Cheyenne (Wyoming) or Salinas (California) or Pendleton (Oregon). It’s especially cool not being from there, but I’ve always heard about it. It’s a cool buckle to have.”
He left Reeves County with almost $4,300 in his account, but he’ll have an opportunity to double that total if he were to have the same kind of fortune in Pecos this year. While there’s a lot going on that week with big-paying rodeos spread out – it’s almost 1,400 miles from Pecos to Reno – the purse increase just adds more reasons why cowboys and cowgirls must make their way to west Texas.
“It’s especially important with Pecos being a tour rodeo,” Allen said. “With the way the tour system is set up now, we almost have to go. I’m glad to hear they upped their money, because that’s even more incentive for us to go. That’s a rodeo you’ve got to work.
“I know it’s a hard time of the year, but that’s one of the rodeos you should be going to.”