Rodeo for Kidz Sake and three sold out performances take center stage September 18 and 19 as BPIR crowns its 2026 World Champions at The Show Place Arena
UPPER MARLBORO, DC, UNITED STATES, September 15, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo, the nation’s only touring African American rodeo association, returns to The Show Place Arena, 14900 Pennsylvania Avenue, Upper Marlboro, Maryland, on September 18 and 19 for its 42nd National Championship Finals. Competitors from across the country will pursue 2026 BPIR World Champion titles before three sold out audiences.
Throughout the 2026 season, these athletes competed across two exciting BPIR competition series: the Texas Connection Series, held in Fort Worth, Texas, and the Legacy Series, which traveled to Memphis, Tennessee; Oakland, California; Los Angeles, California; and Atlanta, Georgia, where two rodeo competitions were held. At each stop, competitors battled for points, striving to finish among the Top 10 in their respective events and earn the coveted opportunity to advance to the BPIR National Championship Finals.
Now, the best of the best will meet in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, to compete for BPIR’s coveted National Championship titles and the honor of being recognized among the top Black rodeo athletes of 2026.
National Championship Finals Schedule:
Friday, September 18 Rodeo for Kidz Sake at 10:00 a.m.
Friday, September 18 BPIR Rodeo at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, September 19 Championship Finals Rodeo (1st Round) at 1:00 p.m.
Saturday, September 19 Championship Finals Rodeo (Final Round) at 7:30 p.m.
With more than $200,000 in cash and prizes at stake, the nation’s top Black cowboys and cowgirls will compete in ranch bronc riding, ladies steer undecorating, ladies and junior breakaway roping, steer wrestling, tie down roping, team roping, ladies, junior and pee wee barrel racing, relay racing and bull riding.
“Our National Championship Finals bring together the very best Black cowboys and cowgirls from across the country. They are elite competitors who are also members of the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo Association and have earned the opportunity to compete on our biggest stage.” said Valeria Howard Cunningham, President and CEO of the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo. “The contestants have worked all year for this moment, and we are grateful to return to a DMV audience that continues to show up for the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo. Three sold out performances remind us that this history belongs in the national spotlight and that the next generation is ready to carry it forward.”
Friday morning’s Rodeo for Kidz Sake, presented by the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo and the BPIR Foundation, will give more than 2,500 elementary and middle school students from Prince George’s County, Baltimore and Washington, DC an opportunity to experience the excitement of rodeo while learning about the historic contributions of Black cowboys and cowgirls of the American West.
The Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo welcomes True Vet Solutions as a new partner committed to honoring and supporting our nation’s veterans. During the National Championship Finals performances, BPIR and True Vet Solutions will present a custom Veteran of the Night buckle recognizing the recipient’s service and sacrifice.
Once the last bull has bucked and the final flares light up the arena, the 2026 BPIR National Champions will be crowned. But the excitement won’t end there. For many of these competitors, the National Championship Finals will only refuel their determination for one more opportunity to finish the season on top.
The Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo will return to the historic Cowtown Coliseum in Fort Worth, Texas, on October 17 for the Texas Connection Buckle Series Championship. There, the top money winners from throughout the 2026 Texas Connection Series will be recognized and awarded, bringing another exciting chapter of BPIR competition to a close and giving our cowboys and cowgirls one final opportunity to celebrate an outstanding season in the arena.
The Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo’s continued success is made possible through the support of Official Presenting Sponsors Ariat and Crown Royal, with additional support from YETI, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Upscale Media, Four Four Boot Company, True Vet and valued partners the BPIR Foundation, Black Beauty and Wellness Foundation and Anti-Violence Ventures.
Fans can keep up with “The Greatest Show on Dirt” and view the remaining 2026 schedule at www.billpickettrodeo.com. For sponsorship, partnership and vendor opportunities, contact the BPIR National Development Team at mladrew@billpickettrodeo.com. For media inquiries, contact press@billpickettrodeo.com.
About the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo
The Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo is the nation’s premier African American touring rodeo association. Founded in 1984 by Lu Vason, BPIR celebrates and preserves the legacy of Black cowboys and cowgirls and their contributions to the American West. Today, the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo is led by President and CEO Valeria Howard Cunningham, making it the only African American touring rodeo association in the world owned and operated by a Black woman. BPIR tours major cities across the United States each year, presenting elite rodeo competition while advancing national and international awareness of Black Western heritage.
About the BPIR Foundation
The BPIR Foundation is the charitable arm of the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo. The Foundation is dedicated to education, youth outreach and preserving Black Western heritage. Through scholarships, mentorship initiatives and community programs such as Rodeo for Kidz Sake, the Foundation creates opportunities for young people while increasing awareness of the historical and cultural contributions of Black cowboys and cowgirls.
Michelle R Johnson – BPIR Media Relations Director
Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo
press@billpickettrodeo.com
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