12 13 The first four days of the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo set the stage for a rich and diverse experience that intersected the relationship of the Show with the Fort Worth community and the Western tradition it so strongly values. Stock Show fans were treated to events that reflected not only the timehonored traditions of ranching but were given a perspective on how those traditions have served as the birthplace of modern-day competitions and provide common ground that crosses cultures. Five of the six ranches competing in this year’s Best of the West Invitational Rodeo January 17-18 have a history stretching back more than 100 years, so it wasn’t hard to imagine the spirits of their predecessors, like Captain Richard King and Burk Burnett, hovering in the rafters to watch working ranch cowboys compete in events just as relevant today as they were in 1896. A part of Ranching Heritage Weekend, presented by Ariat, the Ranch Rodeo served up an exciting two nights of good-natured, but very serious competition between some of the most storied ranches in the nation. Ranches from Texas included the Four Sixes (Guthrie), King Ranch (Kingsville), Bonds Ranch (Saginaw), R. A. Brown Ranch (Throckmorton), and Tongue River Ranch (Paducah). Oklahoma’s Drummond Ranch (Pawhuska), rounded out the field. Ranches competed in events including ranch vet, double mugging, stock sorting and wild cow milking, as well as saddle bronc riding and girls’ ranch barrel racing. The R.A. Brown Ranch dominated throughout the two-day event, capturing wins in three of six events on the first day of competition, and four of the six events the second day, to take the Top Team honors, sweeping Top Hand and Top Horse awards as well, which went to Myles Brown and his gelding Ranchin Royalty RAB. Watch Myles Brown and Ranchin Royalty RAB at work. BEST OF THE WEST RANCH RODEO RODEOS WITH A FOCUS FWSSR’s Specialty Rodeos Highlight Diverse Western Culture One’s imagination could continue to flare as the colorful drama of the Best of Mexico Celebración played out across the Dickies Arena floor January 19. Produced under the masterful hand of Charro Jerry Diaz, his wife Staci and son Nicholas, the traditionally sold-out event honors the deep Hispanic culture found throughout the North Texas region and engages a number of area escaramuza and charro groups in the festivities. The romance of Old Mexico was on full display throughout the evening kicked off by the North Side High School Mariachi Espuelas de Plata and Ballet Folklorico who filled the arena with melodious mariachi music and colorful dancers, shortly followed by the introduction of charro riders from Mexico and Fort Worth. Fans were treated to charro style bareback and bull riding, as well as the artistry of the charro saddle and the maguey rope through the Smoking of the Horn and the daring Paso de la Muerte, the pass of death, as mounted charros jumped to the back of a riderless horse at full gallop. Most thrilling was the Matadors de Mexico who thrilled the audience with the caping of the Spanish bull. BEST OF MEXICO CELEBRACIÓN MARCH 2025 NEWSLETTER FORT WORTH STOCK SHOW & RODEO Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo January 16 - February 7, 2026 www.fwssr.com THE FORT WORTH STOCK SHOW & RODEO | THE FIRST FOUR James Phifer photos The Solomon name is certainly not new to the sport of rodeo. After all, 10-time NFR tie-down qualifier and $2 millionearner Cory Solomon has made sure of that, but it’s his daughter, Kortnee, who’s making the waves now. At only 14, Kortnee of Hempstead, Texas, smoked the Cowboys of Color barrel racing competition running a time of 17.28 to take the win ahead of her mother, Kanesha Jackson who crossed the finish line with a time of 17.41. Already a star of the Bill Pickett Invitational, where she debuted at only 5 years of age, the younger Solomon is looking to her father as she adds breakaway roping to her repertoire. Watch. Three-time NFR qualifier John Douch of Huntsville easily handled the field in the tie-down roping, wrapping three legs in a time of 9.6 to second-place finisher Xavier Davis’s 12.6. Brookshire, Texas, steer wrestler Chase Pierre turned in a time of 4.8 to take the win in that event. Jack Mitchell of Weatherford, Texas took home the win in the bull riding with a score of 88. The rodeo, an annual highlight of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, also featured the Circle L 5 Riding Club’s precision drill performance as well as a stirring performance by virtuoso violinist Armand Vance of Fort Worth. Myles Brown’s chestnut gelding Ranchin Royalty RAB was voted Top Horse Myles Brown proves his Top Hand mettle during the Wild Cow Milking COWBOYS OF COLOR See the pageantry! Check out John Douch James Phifer photos
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