By Joseph Seemayer –
The 2026 Ventura County Fair closed its 12-day run with the PRCA Flying U Rodeo, bringing professional rodeo action to Seaside Park’s Grandstand Arena on Saturday and Sunday.
The 90-minute performances featured bull riding, barrel racing, Mutton Bustin’ and plenty of entertainment for the crowd. Returning PRCA rodeo announcer Steve Goedert kept the grandstands engaged throughout the weekend with his play-by-play and crowd interaction.
Behind the Chutes
Behind the bucking chutes, cowboys prepared for competition with a combination of focus, experience and tradition. Riders chalked their gloves, wrapped their wrists and studied the arena before taking their turns.
Professional rodeo requires precise timing and quick reactions from both contestants and arena crews. With competitors and livestock traveling from event to event, every performance brings its own set of challenges and unpredictability.
Bull Riding
Bull riding provided some of the weekend’s most dramatic action. Riders attempted to stay aboard powerful bulls for eight seconds, producing spectacular moments as the animals bucked, twisted and occasionally launched all four feet off the ground.
For photographers, the combination of rider, bull and flying dirt created some of the most striking images of the weekend.
Barrel Racing
Barrel racing brought a different kind of speed and precision to the arena. Competitors raced their horses around three barrels in a tight cloverleaf pattern, with every turn measured in fractions of a second.
The event offered both action and quieter moments, including images of the connection between riders and their horses before they entered the arena.
Crowd-Pleasing Mutton Bustin’
Mutton Bustin’ once again proved to be a crowd favorite. Young competitors, ages 4 to 7, held on as sheep raced across the arena, often producing some of the weekend’s biggest cheers and smiles.
Entertainment Between Events
The entertainment continued between competitions, with Goedert engaging the audience throughout the performances. At one point, three audience members were invited into the arena for an impromptu dance contest with the announcer.
Flying U rodeo clowns and bullfighters also played an important role, moving quickly to distract bulls and protect riders following a fall.
Golden Hour at Seaside Park
Sunday evening’s 7 p.m. performance provided a fitting final scene for the fair. As the sun dropped toward the Pacific, golden light filled the Grandstand Arena, creating silhouettes of horses, riders and cowboys against the coastal sky. The Flying U Rodeo closed out another Ventura County Fair with a weekend of competition, entertainment and plenty of memorable moments.
