2026 San Diego Rodeo Results

The electric atmosphere inside iconic sports venues only grows when they add dirt to the floor and sell tickets to a rodeo. With a large increase in rodeos being held inside major sports stadiums in cities across the U.S., the San Diego Rodeo held January 16-18 in Petco Park is one of the most exciting. Home of the Major League Baseball team, the San Diego Padres, the stadium turns into a packed house for a unique invitation-only rodeo in Southern California.

The barrel racers came to play and put on a show for spectators. It was National Finals Rodeo qualifiers who made a stellar appearance and advancing to the final four, and so did their horses that didn’t get to see the lights of Vegas.

Four-time world champion Hailey Kinsel ran 2016 mare TR Judges Doll (Judge Cash x TR Dashing Badger x Mr Illuminator) to win $15,687. Megan McLeod-Sprague rode 2019 mare Ticket Ta Heaven (JL Dash Ta Heaven x Cantstopthiseffort x Special Effort) to earn $19,000 and Emily Beisel ran 2018 gelding Dashing Olie (The Red Dasher x Fire Water Flame x Fire Water Flit) to win $11,062. Though, It was Hayle Stillwell and 2017 mare RDC Dancingtothelead (Lead The Field x Kari Dancer x Dash Ta Fame) who came out on top.

Stillwell’s NFR round-winning mare Buncha Dinero was still on a break from her trip to Vegas, and with the shuttle system to the stadium, she knew “Fancy” could handle it.

“I haven’t had a lot of time to run Fancy so I figured it was a good opportunity to get on her and get some runs under her belt and some confidence for me,” Stillwell said. “We have to park in the holding area and then they shuttle us into Petco Park and then they shuttle us back out to the parking area after you run. Once you’re in there, it’s electric, it’s crazy, it’s loud, it’s amazing. It’s such a cool experience. There’s so much that goes into that rodeo, but that’s what makes it so neat.”

With a setup different than normal, Stillwell prepared ahead of time and had a plan to keep Fancy calm among the excitement in the stadium.

Hailey Kinsel and TR Judges Doll (Judge Cash x TR Dashing Badger x Mr Illuminator) won the first round with a 15.59 worth $3,500. Kinsel won just more than $15,000 in San Diego. Photo by Sam-Sin Photography.

“Fancy can be strong when she’s around a performance, she knows what’s happening. I was alone so I got bridled and booted over in the holding area because I wasn’t sure I was going to do it easily when I was over there. So I rode in the trailer with her just because she did have a head stall and bridle on and I didn’t want her to get caught on anything. It’s so crazy to be in there and looking out the window and then all of a sudden you’re going through a brick wall, and then you’re popping out into the baseball stadium.”

Stillwell and Fancy kicked off the first round with a 15.74 to place third and earn $1,750. Kinsel and “Reese” topped the round with a 15.59.

“I went into the first round just wanting a good, smooth run that was confidence building because it’s been a while for both of us,” Stillwell said. “I just had switched up her bit and put a tie down on her and so we were trying out some stuff. She went in there and worked with confidence like she used to before her injury.”

In the second round, Stillwell and Fancy topped the leaderboard with a 15.45 worth $3,500. Beisel and Kinsel split second and third with a 15.57 and 2025 San Diego Rodeo champion Jordan Driver claimed the fourth-place check with a time of 15.60.

Megan McLeod-Sprague and Ticket Ta Heaven (JL Dash Ta Heaven x Cantstopthiseffort x Special Effort) won the eight-man round with a 15.538 worth $4,000. In the finals they stopped the clock with a 15.654 to place second worth an additional $15,000. Photo by Sam-Sin Photography.

“I just kind of tweaked my riding the second round to give her a little bit more freedom and rode more by feel and not by memory,” Stillwell explained. “She was dialed all weekend, she was on point. She stepped up to the plate. She was confident and she loved it.”

Stillwell advanced the eight-man round based off money won in the first two rounds, running a 15.578 to place third and secure a spot in the finals. She tied with Driver and 2017 gelding Judge JB Cash (Judge Cash x Bevs Aa Whiz Kid x PC Bar Dox Frost).

“It’s back to back so I originally wanted to go back to the parking lot so she could kind of escape the noise and relax and get some water, because it was kind of a hectic deal to get over there for the eight man,” Stillwell said. “I ended up forgetting my water bucket. Because of that and being kind of later to that eight man round than I wanted to be, I stayed at the rodeo arena and she ended up handling it really well. I took her bridle off and just kind of put her tie down around the panel like she was tied and stood next to her and she ended up just resting a leg and relaxing during that four-man round, thankfully, because she conserved some energy.”

In the final round, Stillwell and Fancy were first in the draw.

“Being first out, you don’t know what you need to do and that’s such a tough rodeo,” Stillwell said. “Everybody brought their A-game so I just knew that I needed to trust my horse and send her in there and not ride reserved. We just kind of threw it all out there and we danced and Fancy took charge.”

Their time of 15.499 held the lead and won Stillwell $20,000 and the 2026 San Diego Rodeo Barrel Racing title.

“It gives me all the confidence and excitement,” Stillwell said of the win. “It’s been a while since Fancy has felt that good and that confident and so I feel like I have her back. It’s just exciting knowing I’ve got healthy, sound horses in the trailer starting the year out and we get to go have fun.”

Hayle Stillwell and RDC Dancingtothelead (Lead The Field x Kari Dancer x Dash Ta Fame) placed third in the first round with a 15.74 worth $1,750. They won the second round with a 15.45 worth $3,500. Their 15.578 in the eight-man round tied for third, earning a $1,500 check. In the finals they stopped the clock with a 15.499 to claim the barrel racing title and $20,000. Stillwell won $26,750 in San Diego. Photo by Sam-Sin Photography.

Stillwell noted how incredible it is that The Outriders and C5 Rodeo put on an event like this in Southern California and thanks them for their efforts.

“I know it’s a huge production and I know they had a lot of court appointments and all the things, but it’s important to keep the western heritage going especially in southern California,” Stillwell said. “I’m very thankful for all the hard work and the opportunity to be invited to that rodeo and have such a great payout.”