2026 Schedule of Events
Thursday, May 7th
8:00 a.m. – RHAA Competition - (Taylor Telecom Arena)
8:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. Bit & Spur Show - (AEL Round Building & Modern Living Mall)
11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.* Trade Show - (Taylor Telecom Arena)
11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Food Vendors and Outside Non-Food Vendors Open
11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Trade Show - (AEP Texas Big Country Hall & Capital Farm Credit Display Building)
12:00 p.m. – Bars Open
6:30 p.m. - Parade - (Downtown Abilene)
8:00 p.m. Cowboy Poetry Under the Stars Sponsored by Frontier Texas - (Chuckwagon Area)
Friday, May 8th
8:00 a.m. - 10:30 p.m.** Trade Show - (Taylor Telecom Arena)
8:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. Bit & Spur Show - (AEP Round Building & Modern Living Mall)
8:00 a.m. - RHAA Ranch Horse Competition Finals - (Taylor Telecom Arena)
8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. Food Vendors and Outside Non-Food Vendors Open
8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. Trade Show - (AEP Texas Big Country Hall & Capital Farm Credit Display Building)
10:00 a.m. – Bars Open
11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Cowboy Music (Outdoor Entertainment Pavilion)
1:00 p.m. - Chuckwagon Cookoff - Wagon Authenticity Judging - (Chuckwagon Area)
4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. – Horse Sale Happy Hour – (First Financial Pavilion)
7:00 p.m. - Rhinestone Round Up (Guitar Arena)
8:00 p.m. - Ranch Rodeo - (Taylor Telecom Arena)
Saturday, May 9th
8:00 a.m. Chuckwagon Cookoff Competition and Judging Sponsored by HEB - (Chuckwagon Area)
8:00 a.m. - 10:30 p.m.** Trade Show - (Taylor Telecom Arena)
8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. Trade Show - (AEP Texas Big Country Hall & Capital Farm Credit Display Building)
8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. Food Vendors and Outside Non-Food Vendors Open
8:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. Bit & Spur Show - (AEL Round Building & Modern Living Mall)
7:30 a.m. – 12 Noon Children’s Activities- (First Financial Pavilion)
7:30 a.m. Packet Pick-Up - All Age Groups
8:45 a.m. Grand Entry & Haney Cannon Stickhorse Rodeo
9:10 a.m. Best Dressed Cowgirl & Cowboy
-Immediately following Best Dressed- Rodeo ages 3-4, Rodeo ages 5-6, Rodeo ages 7-9, --Steer Dummy Roping
-Immediately following the Children’s Activities - “Six White Horse” rides
9:30 a.m. - WHC Invitational Ranch Horse Sale- (First Financial Pavilion)
10:00 a.m. – Bars Open
11:00 a.m. - Roy Cox Cowdog Demonstration - (Taylor Telecom Arena)
12:00 pm - WHC Top Dog Competition - (Taylor Telecom Arena)
11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. - Cowboy Music - (Outdoor Entertainment Pavilion)
12:00 p.m. - 1:15 p.m. - Chuckwagon Cookoff • (Lunch Served) (Chuckwagon Area)
1:00 p.m. - Old Time Fiddlers Contest (Capital Farm Credit Display Building)
2:00 p.m. - Registration for Matched Horse Races (Southeast Grounds)
3:00 p.m. - Chuckwagon Cookoff Results & Awards (Chuckwagon Area)
4:00 p.m. - Matched Horse Race World Finals • (Southeast Grounds)
8:00 p.m. - Ranch Rodeo - (Taylor Telecom Arena)
10:00 p.m. - Rodeo Champion Awards - (Taylor Telecom Arena)
10:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m. Jake Hooker and the Outsiders – (Entertainment Pavilion)
Sunday, May 10th
9:00 a.m. Cowboy Church Service - (Chuckwagon Area Tents)