Some of the country’s best rodeo riders are coming to Central Oregon.

The fifth edition of the High Desert Stampede rodeo is set for the Deschutes County Fair & Expo Center’s First Interstate Bank Center in Redmond Wednesday through Sunday.

This year the Stampede is featured as a Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) National Finals Rodeo Playoff Series stop as one of the top 60 rodeos in the country, out of nearly 700 rodeos.

The first rodeo of the year on the Columbia River Circuit, the Stampede will offer a chance for cowboys and cowgirls to make additional points and money toward qualifying for the NFR in Las Vegas in December.

“We’re honored to be the first NFR Playoff Series rodeo to occur on the Columbia River Circuit”, said High Desert Stampede chairman Denis Fast. “The series guarantees that we will be featured nationwide on the Cowboy Channel, bringing greater awareness about Central Oregon while providing more value to our sponsors.”

The Stampede was canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and last year it was allowed only 20% capacity in the First Interstate Bank Center. This year there are no restrictions, as rodeo fans can pack the arena to watch the nation’s best in bull riding, saddle bronc riding, bareback riding, team and tie-down roping, steer wrestling, barrel racing and breakaway roping.

“We started expanding last year,” Fast said. “We expanded because of limited ability to sell tickets with the COVID situation.”

Three full performances are scheduled for Thursday, Friday and Saturday, while Wednesday includes a special section of bareback, sadle bronc, bull riding and steer wrestling.

Numerous world champions are set to compete in Redmond, including Stetson Wright, of Milford, Utah, the 2019 PRCA all-around world champion. Wright competes in saddle bronc riding and bull riding.

Jesse Brown, of Baker City, is also set to ride in Redmond. Brown won the steer wrestling championship at the American Rodeo in Arlington, Texas, earlier this month, earning $100,000. Brown is a former collegiate football player who took on rodeo after transferring to Montana State University.

Other Oregon cowboys competing include Heppner’s Blake Knowles, a steer wrestler and five-time NFR qualifier, and Terrebonne’s Austin Foss, a bareback rider and four-time NFR qualifier.

“I venture to say that we’re probably the fastest growing young rodeo in the country,” Fast said. “And we’ve increased our money payouts.”

Many of the rodeo riders will be coming to Redmond after competing at Rodeo Houston, one of the biggest rodeos in the country.

“I don’t know how they do it, but an awful lot of them that will be finishing up the week before in Houston are coming to Redmond,” Fast said. “We’re just drawing the best of the best of the athletes and the animals. We’re getting some tremendous bucking stock coming in.”

What: Some of the best rodeo riders in the country competing in steer wrestling, barrel racing, tie-down roping, team roping, saddle bronc riding, bareback riding, bull riding and breakaway roping.

When: Wednesday through Saturday, 7 to 10 p.m. each night.

Where: Deschutes County Fair & Expo Center’s First Interstate Bank Center in Redmond.

Tickets: Starting at $20 online, $5 more at the door.

Purchase tickets/more information:  www.highdesertstampede.com.