BIG SPRING, Texas – Folks in this neck of the woods are proud of the 91-year history of the Big Spring Cowboy Reunion and Rodeo.
Organizers have worked tirelessly over the years to bring a top-tier event to town every June. They want the annual event to be a showcase of tremendous talent, which will just add to the overall experience. With that in mind, the volunteer committee is opting to change dates beginning with the 2026 rodeo.
“We’re moving our dates up two weeks to the first week of June next year,” said Scot Herrin, a longtime committee member. “We want to do that to draw those contestants but also do it so we can accommodate their schedule. This will put us before Weatherford, so we think it will work better for the contestants.”
This year’s Big Spring Cowboy Reunion and Rodeo is set for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 19-Saturday, June 21, at the Surge Energy Rodeo Bowl. With great acts during the rodeo and live concerts after the Friday and Saturday performances, there are big things to celebrate at. Alas, members of the committee want to ramp everything up starting next year.
“The way we are right now, there are some really big rodeos that are on top of us that pull contestants away from Big Spring,” Herrin said, pointing out that the Reno (Nevada) Rodeo is likely the best-paying rodeos in June, begins at the same time and is 1,400 miles northwest of Howard County. “We can’t compete with that, so we tried to make our new schedule where it would be a perfect run for those contestants to come through and be at these Texas rodeos before they head to Reno and all those other rodeos out West.”
He also noted that Big Spring’s rodeo has traditionally been the same week as the College National Finals Rodeo, and there are dozens of younger contestants who are part of intercollegiate programs that might be missing out on an opportunity to gain some valuable experience inside the rodeo bowl.
“That’s just another conflict for us,” he said. “We’ve needed to do it for a long time, and our facility just keeps getting better with the hospitality we’re providing. We’re trying to make it easier for contestants to come to Big Spring and make it a great experience.”
This is just the next step with a group of people who have the foresight to make things better, from contestants to sponsors to members of the community who want to enjoy a great show.
“We’ve got big plans for our future,” Herrin said. “We want to increase our livestock pens, some horse stalls and our parking. All these things are in motion, and we expect to have that done in the next few years. Our next step after that is to improve the VIP and sponsor experience and our facilities.
“It’s a puzzle that all fits together.”
The pieces will begin to be attached just as soon as this year’s rodeo concludes. It’s going to be an adjustment for members of the community and those with ties to this west Texas gem, but it’s one that members of the committee expect to be a benefit.
“I think it’s going to be an even better date,” Herrin said. “School will have been out for just a little bit, so a lot of people should still be around. The weather should be a little better, so I think that’s a positive note there. It’s not going to be nearly as hot, so I think it will be better all the way around.
“There are always pros and cons on picking a date for an event like this, but I think there are a lot more pos than cons to moving our rodeo to the first week of June.”