The Valley’s rodeo season kicks off Saturday, Sept. 19, with a new twist at the Buck‑N Rodeo Grounds at Wild Horse Pass: a multigenerational matchup pitting seasoned bull riders against the sport’s rising talent. 

The event, Legends vs. Young Guns, is produced by Arist Rodeo and serves as the launch to the popular 8 Second Saturdays series returning in October.

Tickets for Legends vs. Young Guns start at $8, with the event set to draw families, longtime rodeo fans and newcomers. 

For RS Rodeo co‑owner Dana McNeil, the concept grew naturally out of the company’s work with senior competitors and youth riders. RS Rodeo is a four-time NSPRA Stock Contractor of the Year.

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“We produce rodeos all over Arizona,” she said. “We thought, why not bring the old guys in, too? The kids love being mentored by these old guys.”

The “Legends” are riders over 40 — including McNeil’s husband, Tim McNeil, 67, and business partner and aptly named Will Rogers, 48 — who still climb on bulls through the National Senior Pro Rodeo Association. 

The “Young Guns” are steer riders as young as 10, competing up to age 14. The two groups will face off in a team‑style competition for a buckle and bragging rights.

McNeil said the event resonates because it’s built around family. “Everybody likes good old‑fashioned family fun,” she said. 

“At Rawhide, they incorporate bounce houses, food trucks, live music — even line dancing this year. Once the show starts, it’s exciting, but it’s also just fun to watch.”

Youth events remain a major draw. Kids can sign up to ride sheep, calves or steers — sometimes for the first and only time. 

“We have some kiddos that get on a sheep one time and say, ‘No thanks,’” McNeil said with a laugh. “And others run with it and become bull riders.”

For McNeil, who grew up riding horses in what was once rural north Peoria, the rodeo world is a lifelong pursuit. She still competes in barrel racing and breakaway roping. “It’s just been part of our lives for as long as I can remember,” she said.