Burn Ban in Effect. All outdoor burning is prohibited in Franklin County.
The Sheriff’s Posse of Franklin County is calling the 2026 Labor Day Weekend Rodeo their most successful event yet, with near-full stands all three nights of the rodeo performances at the United Professional Rodeo Association-sanctioned event. More than $70,000 was paid out to the top finishers out of 410 adult division entries.
This is the second year the rodeo has grown into a three-night instead of a two-night event with “slack” (entries for which there was not enough time during regular 8-10 p.m. performances) running about five hours during the day on Sunday. The local rodeo has earned a spot in the top 10 of 300 rodeos sanctioned by UPRA since 2017, according to association reports.
Statistics such as prize-money payouts, number of entries, and attendance determine placement.
“Last year we were sixth. We’re hoping for fifth or better this year,” said SPFC Capt. Chad Neal. “We were blessed this year with no rain after it rained every night of the 2025 performance year. This is also the first time we’ve had sponsorships that covered all gate entries.”
No one had to pay to come to any of the three performances thanks to the generosity of five sponsors: Timber Creek Beef of Winnsboro, Stone Livestock of Mount Pleasant, First National Bank of East Texas (Veterans Night, Sunday), and Sulphur River Cowboy Church (First Responders Night).
First place finishers in each of the 10 events and their payout received follows: Bareback Riding, Cayden Flanagan $1,877.38; Breakaway Roping, Audrey Thibodeauz, $2,487.21; Calf Roping, Bobby Abernathy, $1,88619; Saddle Bronc, Blake Starrett$1,268.19; Ranch Bronc Riding, Austin Kelly, $1,136.39; Team Roping, Colton Ranley/Joe Mattern, $1957.92 per man; Barrel Racing, Bella Skinner, $1,418.95; Bull Riding, Fabio Eleuterio, $1,040.91; Steer Roping, Cody McClueskey, $1,376.53; and Steer Wrestling, T. J. Cook, $1,816.03.
“The contestants, especially those who are close to reaching a finals spot (top 15 in each adult event qualify for finals rodeo), love the size we’ve grown to and can help put them over the top before the UPRA finals in October,” noted Capt. Neal.
In addition to the UPRA payouts to contestants, other sponsors and the Sheriff’s Posse paid out several thousand dollars to local and area youth in its newly launched “Youth Showcase” events. There were about 30 entries in the Youth Showcase for those aged 15 and under this year, according to Capt. Neal.
Youth Showcase winners included: Breakaway Roping, Swazy Stout of Winnsboro; Team Roping, Jasper Ripple (Y) of Union Valley with Todd Jaggers (A) of Mount Vernon (Y/A required, but $ only go to Y); Junior Barrels, Lilly Morrow of Winnsboro; and the Tiedown Calf Roping, which had no winners.
The local Sheriff’s Posse instituted a Calf Scramble Scholarship specifically for junior and senior students at Mount Vernon and Saltillo high schools three years ago. It started with four $500 scholarships being offered and has now grown to eight. Just four students from each of the two schools' FFA programs are selected by their teachers and fellow classmates to participate in the event. Eight calves are released in the arena, each with a ribbon attached. If the student gets the ribbon, they have earned a $500 scholarship. They can only get one ribbon.
The 2026 Calf Scramble Scholarship winners are Jackson Tulley, Lucas Womack, Kenzi Pipkin, Alaina Britton, Saltillo High School; and Colston Taylor, Dylan Hunnicutt, Cheynne Harris, Katie Tovar, Mount Vernon High School.
Funds raised through the rodeo that stay with the SPFC are used to maintain and upgrade the arena and related facilities. Most recently, they raised the east side stands and boxed seating areas about three years ago. They now have 40 boxed seating areas with space for eight in each, with two made handicapped accessible.
This year they added electrical outlets for use by the growing number of vendors setting up behind the east side bleachers prior to and during the rodeo performances and at other events hosted at the arena.
The SPFC may have closed the gates on this year’s rodeo, but they will have their first meeting to discuss what went well and what could have been done better Monday night. “We can’t thank our sponsors and general supporters enough,” stressed Capt. Neal. For a complete list of sponsors, check out the organization’s Facebook page at “Sheriff’s Posse of Franklin County.”
