SANTA YNEZ, Calif. – Cowboys, live music and stick horse races drew thousands to the Santa Ynez Valley this weekend as the 6th Annual Old Santa Ynez Days Rodeo wrapped up Sunday.
The two-day event, held at the arena near the Chumash Casino Resort, was a PRCA-qualifying rodeo that attracted top-ranked competitors and rising stars from across the country. Events included bull riding, saddle bronc, tie-down roping, steer wrestling, barrel racing, and women’s breakaway roping. Junior competitions featured crowd favorites such as mutton bustin’, junior barrel racing, and stick horse races.
“Rodeo is an old, old sport,” said Ralph Lausten, stock contractor for Empire Rodeo. “It’s a traditional sport for this area here, and it’s kind of been missing for a few years. We tried to bring it back.”…