Tyler Mayor Don Warren (left), Dustin Rounsavall, Director of Operations and Michael Stoltz, Chairman of the East Texas State Fair Board, gather at Cavender’s Boot City on April 2 to announce the introduction of a PRCA-sanctioned rodeo at the 2025 East Texas State Fair. (Katecey Harrell/ Tyler Morning Telegraph)

The East Texas State Fair will introduce a Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association-sanctioned rodeo during its opening weekend.

Fair organizers, elected officials, PRCA and title sponsor Cavender’s representatives gathered Wednesday morning at Cavender’s Boot City in Tyler to make the official announcement. The rodeo, set for Sept. 19 through 21 at the Park of East Texas, will feature bull riding, barrel racing, team roping and mutton bustin’.

When the fair moved locations, organizers knew there would be challenges and tough choices. To guide their decisions, they created four main pillars (agriculture, education, entertainment and community) to help them stay focused on what’s important, said Cody Rosenbalm, East Texas State Fair president and CEO.

“Rodeo represents all four of those pillars in a way that no other sport can. It promotes agriculture, it celebrates our heritage while delivering world class, family friendly entertainment and most importantly, it brings our community together,” Rosenbalm said.

With stock contractor, Pickett Pro Rodeo, bringing award-winning livestock to Tyler, the event will welcome top-tier athletes from across the country to the Rose City. The first-year rodeo is expected to feature a payout of over $100,000.

“From the very beginning, the Picketts have been incredible partners in this vision,” Rosenbalm said. “Their legacy runs deep in this sport, and we’re making history together.”

As one of the last events before the National Finals Rodeo cutoff, it will likely attract top competitors, including world champions, said Cullen Pickett, Pickett Pro Rodeo owner. The event is expected to play a key role in determining qualifiers for the National Finals Rodeo.

“The dream or idea we’ve had is coming to fruition,” Pickett said. “We’re here for the long haul, and to make this better and better each year.”

The Picketts are bringing a mobile arena for the rodeo events. For the first three days of the fair, a temporary arena with 2,500 seats will be built before it’s taken down the following Monday. The arena will be strong and well-made.

The rodeo is a separate ticketed event from the fair with general admission and VIP tiers. The VIP area will include food and drinks. Instead of bleacher seating, there are talks of a deck concept where guests can stand at cocktail tables while watching the rodeo.

“We are working with architects right now on the master plan concept for the Park of East Texas that should come out later this summer,” Rosenbalm said. “We do see rodeo as a long-term commitment we’re making, so we are planning for the future of rodeo to be on site.”

Rosenbalm wasn’t certain Wednesday the exact cost of the temporary arena, but said the rodeo is expected to be profitable for the fair, even in its first year, making it a worthwhile investment.

Plus, with the rodeo coming to Tyler, Mayor Don Warren joked he may once again ride bareback.

“One thing’s going to blow your mind … I used to rodeo in my junior and senior year of high school, I rode bareback all over East Texas,” Warren said during Wednesday’s announcement. “I know the impact of rodeo in East Texas is going to be phenomenal.”

In a way, this year marks a shift in the fair’s culture, bringing it back to its roots. With the livestock show still being held off-site, organizers are excited to reintroduce animals to the fair in a new way.

Currently, the fairgrounds lack the necessary infrastructure to support a full-scale livestock show. However, those challenges will not affect the rodeo.

Unlike the livestock show, rodeo stock is transported in and out daily, reducing the need for permanent infrastructure. The rodeo is also a profitable event, and fair officials are looking at ways to expand revenue streams to fund the construction of a dedicated livestock facility.

Providing electricity, water and adequate shade is essential for safely housing large numbers of animals. Rosenbalm said bringing the livestock show back to Tyler remains a top priority, but it will require a properly equipped facility.

“When the whole fair relocated … our big concern was we didn’t want the fair to die on our watch, or my watch as mayor, and it hasn’t,” Warren said. “The move has been unbelievable and the growth that has occurred because of Cody and the board members has been phenomenal.”

An array of bad luck over the past year seemingly worked out in their favor, Rosenbalm said. While constructing the park, a section of dirt failed repeated compaction tests, delaying asphalt work. Despite multiple attempts to remix and lay the dirt, it continued to fail, forcing a change in plans for a handicap parking lot.

In an unexpected turn, that same section of dirt turned out to be the exact size and location needed for the rodeo arena. When the Picketts visited, they determined the dirt was ideal for rodeo events. What once caused delays ultimately set the stage for the event’s future.

“This isn’t just any rodeo. It’s a world class PRCA-sanctioned event that will put Tyler on the map as a premier rodeo destination,” Rosenbalm said. “East Texas is rodeo country. East Texas has produced many world champions and is home to several rising stars in the sport, and in 2025 we’ll be crowning champions of our own right here.”

While Cavender’s as the title sponsor, several other sponsorship opportunities remain available. The rodeo committee is expected to expand soon, and volunteers will be needed. Most importantly, the community is encouraged to come out and support the event.

The 2025 East Texas State Fair will take place Sept. 19-28. The fair’s popular attractions include music, Food Row, carnival rides and games and more. Tickets go on sale Aug. 1 at etstatefair.com.