SALT LAKE CITY (July 21, 2026) — The 2026 Utah Days of ’47 Rodeo presented by Zions Bank kicked off Tuesday night, July 21 with an electric atmosphere. From action to weather delays, the night had a little of everything at the Days of ’47 Arena.
Utah Days of ’47 Begins; Carlee Otero Tops Performance One
SALT LAKE CITY (July 21, 2026) — Prior to a weather and lightning delay the bareback riding and steer wrestling events were complete. Following the weather delay, the team roping resumed the action at the Days of ’47 Arena. The timed events, excluding barrel racing, are a two-go average with the top two advancing to the final round. The barrel racing is one go with a total of 40 barrel racers with the top two advancing each night to the Gold Medal Round. Scores/times will NOT carry forward to the Gold Medal Round (only to break ties). The eight competitors in each event in the Gold Medal Round will compete in a sudden-death format with the winner collecting a Gold Medal.
The Gold Standard in Rodeo features a total of nearly 400 competitors, who will take their shot at a share of over three-quarters of a million in prize money and a gold, silver or bronze medal that will be awarded on Saturday, July 25. There will be 40 competitors in all the events (bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping, saddle bronc riding, tie-down roping, breakaway roping, barrel racing and bull riding).
Although Women’s Professional Rodeo Association barrel racer Carlee Otero is from Texas, she feels right at home in Salt Lake City. Riding her palomino horse AM Regina George, she took the win on opening night with a 17.43 second run, followed by Idaho’s own Megan McLeod-Sprague. Otero took home the gold in 2025 and she is on track to defend that title. She not only has her eyes set on the gold medal in Salt Lake City but she would love a gold buckle in December in Las Vegas. The money won at the only Gold Medal Rodeo in the world could help her achieve that goal for the first time in her career.
“Regina” the 2018 mare by A Smooth Guy our of ORO Rose, who’s by Man In The Money, led Otero to her 2025 Utah Days of ’47 Gold Medal, as well as helped Otero earn $193,340 in NFR earnings. Regina has earned amore than $479,219 in lifetime EquiStat earnings, while Otero has garnered more than $1.8 million in lifetime EquiStat reported earnings.
Utah Days of ’47 Barrel Racing Results
Performance 1 – July 21, 2026: 1) Carlee Otero, 17.43 seconds, $3,147; 2) Megan McLeod-Sprague, 17.58, $2,360; 3) Taylor Manning, 18.05; 4) Kassie Mowry, 18.25, $787.
Gold Medal Round current qualifiers: Carlee Otero and Megan McLeod-Sprague
