Dulce cowboy Jesse Wager earns double honors at Gallup rodeo debut

Dulce cowboy Jesse Wager left Red Rock Park with double honors after his Gallup Lions Club Rodeo debut, winning the bareback bonus round Saturday night and collecting $1,820. In a field that drew 60 rough-stock riders, Wager’s 79.5-point ride put him at the center of one of McKinley County’s biggest summer rodeo weekends.

Lorenzo Benally also made noise in the same bareback coverage, posting a 78-point first-place score. Together, the results underscored how much the Gallup arena remains a stage for New Mexico riders who can travel, hang on, and cash in when the bonus round opens up.

The 2026 Gallup Lions Club Rodeo ran June 18-20 at Red Rock Park in Gallup as the event marked its 76th year. Alongside the rides, the weekend carried the familiar extras that draw families and visitors back to the park: a Battle of the Bands, BBQ food and a parade. A Gallup Lions Club rodeo page also noted that the downtown BBQ celebration was canceled for 2026, even as the main rodeo weekend stayed on the calendar.

That staying power has helped the rodeo keep its place in Gallup’s summer rhythm. The club has long framed the event as part of the city’s Western tradition, and the numbers back up the endurance: the New Mexico Rodeo Association listed it as the 74th annual rodeo in 2024 and called it co-sanctioned, with performances set for 7 p.m. June 14 and 15 and slack at 9 a.m. June 15. That 2024 listing also pointed to added prize money and a rough-stock bonus round for the top bareback, saddle bronc and bull riding scores.

This year’s results showed that the formula still works. The Gallup rodeo brought riders into town, filled Red Rock Park with competition and side events, and gave local fans a close look at regional talent with real money on the line. For McKinley County, Wager’s debut win was more than a scorecard entry: it was another sign that the Gallup Lions Club Rodeo still pulls riders, families and pride from across the region.