By Dee Yates
Photos By Hailey Kennedy
The storied tradition of Cal Poly’s Poly Royal Rodeo dates back to 1933, when plans for a new campus open house began taking shape. With the support of incoming president Julian McPhee, the event was organized by Carl “Gus” Beck and seven agriculture faculty members as a method of showcasing the school while preparing agricultural students for livestock judging at the state level.
Originally billed as “A Country Fair on a College Campus,” the first Poly Royal welcomed hundreds of visitors from coast counties and the San Joaquin Valley on March 31, 1933. The inaugural event featured a stock parade, judging competitions, agricultural equipment displays, a barbecue in Poly Grove, and concluded with a dance in Crandall gymnasium.
What distinguished Poly Royal from previous campus events was its embodiment of Cal Poly’s learn-by-doing philosophy. Unlike earlier Chautauqua-style events that emphasized lectures from dignitaries, Poly Royal showcased livestock exhibitions, horticultural displays, and student projects that demonstrated the effectiveness of vocational education.
The event evolved from even earlier roots in the Farmers’ Institute and Basket Picnic, first held on May 24, 1904, when more than 200 visitors toured the school’s new buildings, enjoyed barbecue, and listened to speeches. By 1913, the event had grown so popular that over 3,000 people attended. Though the Farmers’ Institute eventually disappeared in the 1920s, its spirit lived on when Poly Royal was established.
The 83rd Annual Showcase: Four Nights of Western Excellence
The 83rd annual Poly Royal Rodeo returned to Cal Poly this April with an expanded schedule, offering an additional performance night to accommodate more attendees. Held at the Cotton Rosser Rodeo Complex during Cal Poly’s Open House, the event featured four full nights of action-packed performances.
The festivities began on Wednesday, April 9, with a Cal Poly Rodeo Showcase and Associated Students, Inc.-sponsored concert exclusively for students. The general admission events kicked off Thursday, April 10, with the first Cal Poly Rodeo Showcase Performance and culminated on Saturday, April 12, with the Poly Royal Rodeo Finals. Concerts on Wednesday and Saturday nights took place in the rodeo arena, giving attendees ample space to dance and enjoy the music.
As the marquee event of Cal Poly’s annual Open House, the Poly Royal Rodeo featured top collegiate rodeo athletes from around the West Coast who advanced to the championship performance from earlier rounds. These skilled competitors battled for championship titles in barrel racing, team roping, breakaway roping, tie down roping, saddle bronc riding, bareback riding, bull riding, and steer wrestling.
The event was held at the Cotton Rosser Rodeo Complex, named after alumnus and founding team member Cotton Rosser (Animal Husbandry, ’52). The facility was dedicated in 2022 following the establishment of the Cotton Rosser Endowment, which honors Rosser’s dedication to the sport while providing financial support for the future of the Cal Poly Rodeo program through operational costs and student scholarships.
A Royal Perspective
“Poly Royal was such an incredible experience for me because I got to see firsthand how involved the whole community is! You won’t see another college rodeo around that puts so much effort into the process, it was a year round commitment to make it happen! My goal during my reign is to promote Cal Poly Rodeo and encourage college students that they can do anything they want, as long as they try hard enough.” -Miss Cal Poly Rodeo 2025, Melody Gist
Under the guidance of coach Ben Londo, Cal Poly Rodeo has established itself as one of the most successful programs in college rodeo history. Since 1949, its student-athletes have claimed an impressive 45 national titles, more than any other college rodeo program. Cal Poly’s dominance in collegiate rodeo was undeniable. The event not only showcased exceptional athleticism but also honored the rich tradition that began nine decades ago as a humble agricultural exhibition.
Final Results
Men’s Team: Cal Poly State University – San Luis Obispo took the top spot in the men’s team standings with 565.00 points. California State University-Fresno followed in second with 490.00 points, while Feather River College placed third with 360.00. Bakersfield College came in fourth with 120.00. Women’s Team: Cal Poly State University – San Luis Obispo also led the women’s team standings with 260.00 points. Feather River College earned second with 155.00 points. Cuesta College took third with 80.00, followed by the University of Nevada-Reno with 60.00. California State University-Fresno and the University of Nevada-Las Vegas tied for fifth with 40.00 each. Men’s All-Around: Tyler Scott Jones from Fresno State claimed the Men’s All-Around title with 260.00 points. Joseph G Rawls of Feather River placed second with 210.00 points, followed by Dylan John Fleming of Cal Poly with 140.00 and Ryan David Wells, also of Cal Poly, with 95.00. Women’s All-Around: Cameron Jeanne Steagall from Cal Poly led the Women’s All-Around standings with 190.00 points. Ava Marie Solberg of Feather River College placed second with 95.00 points. Saddle Bronc Riding: Matt Joseph Cicisly from Cal Poly won the event with a score of 157.0. Teammate Chance Joseph Frost followed with 151.0. Tyler Scott Jones of Fresno scored 70.0 for third. Brendan James Mendosa of Feather River rounded out the top four with 44.0. Bareback Riding: Wyatt Avery Wood of Cal Poly claimed the win with a score of 160.0. Bull Riding: Brayden Leo Liberio of Fresno rode to first place with a score of 80.0. Cody Lane Russell of Feather River followed with 75.0 for second place. Tie Down Roping: Brayden Michael Bennett of Cal Poly roped first with a time of 23.7. Joseph G Rawls of Feather River was second with a 24.8, followed closely by Trent D Jones of Bakersfield at 24.9. Tanner James Kerr of Fresno clocked a 29.0 for fourth. Ryan David Wells of Cal Poly had an 11.7 run, Garrett Lindley Christiansen of Chico finished in 32.8, and Vincent Edward Nino of Cal Poly posted 13.4. Steer Wrestling: Cal Poly’s Owen Russell Redfeairn led the field with a time of 9.8, followed by Dylan John Fleming with 10.1 and Kyler Jerry Morgan at 10.6. Joseph G Rawls of Feather River clocked 10.9 for fourth. Travis Clark Cadwell and Brandon Alexander Low tied for fifth with times of 15.1 and 12.6, respectively. Ryan David Wells (12.6) and Kadin Campbell Javadi (13.7), both from Cal Poly, rounded out the top eight. Team Roping Header: Tyler Scott Jones of Fresno turned in the fastest time at 15.4. Katelyn Carmel Browder of Cal Poly followed with 18.4. Pierce Lee Wold of Cal Poly roped third at 21.0. Dakota Renee McCurley of UPAC came in fourth at 36.4. Ava Marie Solberg of Feather River had an 11.2, and Delaney Marie Browder of Cal Poly finished at 13.5. Team Roping Heeler: Ty Thomas Jacobs from Cal Poly won the event with a 15.4. Blayne Andrew Twisselman and Tucker Robert Donlon, also of Cal Poly, followed with 18.4 and 21.0, respectively. Tessa Belle James (36.4), Wyatt James Cox of Modesto Junior College (11.2), and Dylan John Fleming (13.5) also placed. Barrel Racing: Karly Grace Camozzi from Cal Poly won with a time of 30.64. Kennedy Paige Bruce of Cuesta and Jessica Hope Krambeer of Cal Poly tied for second with 31.10 and 30.89, respectively. Allyson Eloise Wheeler (41.23), Brooklyn Parkhurst of Nevada-Reno (31.48), Skylar Jayda Alves (40.74), Emma Dayle Jensen of Fresno (40.73), Emma Quinn Garijo of UNLV (31.66), Hannah Kayleen Griffin of Fresno (31.67), and Elsa Rose Flynn of Cal Poly (52.42) followed. Breakaway Roping: Samantha Zera Massey of Cal Poly led with a 6.2. Teammate Cameron Jeanne Steagall followed at 6.6. Sadie Margarette Mullins of Cuesta came in at 7.0. Josie Elizabeth Meyring (7.7), Fallon Rae Ruffoni of Cuesta (3.2), Leah Belle Gibbs (7.8), and a tie between Ella Grace Bramsen and Kaidyn Holland at 3.6 rounded out the field. Goat Tying: Paige Mae Van Loben Sels of Cal Poly won with a 14.4. Regan Viktoria Russ followed at 15.2. Erin Nicole Atkinson and Adriene Taylor Steffen tied at 15.3. Maggie Frances Usher (6.8), Hailey Elizabeth Hicks of Feather River (16.0), Cameron Jeanne Steagall (16.6), Ava Marie Solberg of Feather River (15.7), and Trista Lynn Reid of Cuesta (16.9) closed out the top spots.
