Tristan Hansen of Dillon, Montana, rides in the bareback event of the 2026 UMR rodeo at the Montezuma County Fairgrounds. (Erika Alvero/Special to The Journal)
Tight races at the top in several events, Thursday night rides hold up for big prize money
CORTEZ – Once the first bucket chute opens, there’s no telling where the night might lead. It’s one of the attractions of rodeo – work-a-day rodeo veterans or plucky rookies might have their day when competing against world-renowned riders – but on the rodeo arena floor, it only takes one moment to create memories for a lifetime.
The Ute Mountain Roundup Rodeo has served as the backdrop for countless such moments, and the 96th edition welcomed in its fair share of competitors hoping that this would be their shot at a buckle. With the Montezuma County Fairgrounds abuzz with energy From June 11 to 13 for the Freedom 250 weekend, plenty of competitors threw down performances befitting the energy. With over $80,000 at stake from the weekend’s action, riders had more than just a buckle on their minds when entering the Bob Banks Memorial Arena.
Previous UMR rodeo champions Kadin Jodie (Churchrock, NM) and Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi (Lampasas, TX) made their opening statements to the weekend on Thursday, taking the lead in the breakaway roping and barrel racing events, respectively, in nearly arena-record fashion. Jodie’s breakaway time of 2.5 almost matched her own record from three years earlier (2.1 seconds), while Pozzi Tonozzi ran the cloverleaf in 17.44, less than three-tenths off her 17.17 UMR record. However, one night later, Delta native Rachel Huerkamp clipped Pozzi Tonozzi’s time with a stunning ride of 17.28.
Jodie’s time just held up over the weekend, holding off a run of 2.6 seconds from fellow New Mexican Kassidy Dennison – giving the Churchrock cowgirl over $2,100 in winnings. Huerkamp’s run also helped her take home over $2,000 at the cash window at the end of the weekend’s rides.
Tydon Tsosie, of Crown Point, New Mexico, launches onto a steer during the Steer Wrestling event at the UMR rodeo on Thursday night in Cortez. (Erika Alvero/Special to The Journal)
Andrew Galloway, of Albuquerque, wrestles a steer at the UMR rodeo on Thursday night in Cortez. (Erika Alvero/Special to The Journal)
Garrett Blackwell, of Yeso, New Mexico, gets some air during the Bareback riding event at the UMR rodeo on Thursday night in Cortez. (Erika Alvero/Special to The Journal)
Garret Uptain, of Craig, balances precariously atop his steed during Saddle Bronc riding at the UMR rodeo on Thursday night in Cortez. (Erika Alvero/Special to The Journal)
Garret Uptain, of Craig, looks to make it through the final Bull Riding event at the UMR rodeo on Thursday night in Cortez. (Erika Alvero/Special to The Journal)
Kirstin Carlston, of Carlsbad, New Mexico, rounds a barrel during the Barrel Racing event at the UMR rodeo on Thursday night in Cortez. (Erika Alvero/Special to The Journal)
Addie Denton, of Albany, Texas, lassos a steer during the Breakaway Roping event at the UMR rodeo on Thursday night in Cortez. (Erika Alvero/Special to The Journal)
Tag Moses, of Keenesburg, is bucked off his horse during the Saddle Bronc event after a fierce ride at the UMR rodeo on Thursday night in Cortez. (Erika Alvero/Special to The Journal)
Colt Lewis, of Pagosa Springs, balances firmly atop his steed during the Saddle Bronc event at the UMR rodeo on Thursday night in Cortez. (Erika Alvero/Special to The Journal)
Bull-riding teenager Mason Reine, of Steamboat Springs, took Powder River Rodeo’s bull No. 351 for the full eight seconds as part of a signature 84-point effort in what appears to be the promising beginning to his pro career. His Thursday night ride held up throughout the weekend as the lone qualifying ride, meaning Reine walked away with the over $7,000 purse for the event.
Saddle bronc’s early lead went into the hands of another young buck, with Utah’s 21-year-old Kaden Horrocks building a strong resume in his career to post a ride of 82 points – only for Jack Chase, of Magdalena, New Mexico, to move in front by a half-point on Friday night on Powder River Rodeo’s Scooby Snack. Nobody would catch Chase on his way to nearly $2,000 in winnings.
Montana’s Tristan Hansen made sure that there wouldn’t be a repeat winner in the bareback event, edging 2025 champ Jacoby Campbell 84.5 to 79.5 to take the early top spot for the weekend. The Montana cowboy’s Thursday night ride held up through other challengers over the weekend, and Hansen cashed in $1,700 for his effort.
The biggest leaderboard shift of the weekend came in steer wrestling, where 2025 UMR champ Brady Buum saw his repeat bid go by the wayside with new leaders after Friday and then again on Saturday. After he posted a time of 7.1 seconds to set the bar on Thursday, Mead’s Chisum Docheff seized the lead with a takedown in 5.8 seconds, followed just moments later with a 5.3 second run from La Junta’s Hadley Jackson for the Friday night lead. Phoenix’s Trevor Duhon had the final say in one of the last runs of the weekend, however, taking down his steer in 5.1 seconds to seize the $1,800 top prize.
Utah’s Rowdy McKee went under 10 seconds in tie-down roping (8.8 seconds) on Thursday to create a tough mountain for Friday and Saturday’s competitors to climb – and indeed, no one would surpass his run, as McKee tallied a $2,400 win to his name.
In perhaps the most tightly-contested event of the weekend, team roping produced a stunning seven teams with times under six seconds, and the event went to a four-way tie for first, with 5.1 seconds earning the teams of Teagan Bentley/Dusty Taylor, Seth Hall/Pace Blanchard, Wyatt Murray/Jake Freeland and Clayton Van Aken/Jaydon Warner all sharing the spoils of the top prize of $2,300 apiece.
Specialty act Tomas Garcilazo and his family stirred the crowd to its feet, where plenty of red, white, and blue adorned the grandstands in honor of the Freedom 250 celebration, as the UMR rodeo fans added that extra layer of patriotic pride to close out one of the summer’s biggest community events.
