The 2026 Pahrump Fall Festival Rodeo brought two nights of competition, entertainment and community tradition to Pahrump on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 25-26, with local competitors joining visiting cowboys and cowgirls in the arena.
The weekend featured ranch broncs, breakaway roping, team roping, barrel racing and bull riding, along with miniature bull riding and activities for younger spectators. By the end of the second night, average winners had been determined based on performances across the two rodeo nights.
Before the competition got underway, two Nye County Sheriff’s Office K-9 units gave a demonstration for the crowd. Members of the Miss Pahrump court also made their way into the arena aboard a Hafen truck as part of the opening festivities.
The presentation of the colors brought another community moment to the arena. Veterans in attendance were asked to raise their hands and be recognized from the stands before the opening concluded with the words, “God bless these United States of America.”
Michelle Hinton then performed the national anthem before attention turned to the competitors waiting to enter the arena.
Ranch bronc riding was among the first events of the night and included a hometown competitor, Gus Domina of Pahrump. Domina was unable to reach the required eight seconds, but the local rider had the opportunity to compete in front of the Fall Festival crowd.
Carter Hoffman followed with a successful ride, staying aboard for the full eight seconds and earning an 85-point score. Combined with his 74-point performance from the other night of competition, Hoffman finished with 159 points on two rides to win the ranch broncs average and earn the buckle.
The timed events brought a different kind of competition to the arena, where fractions of a second separated several of the weekend’s top finishers.
In breakaway roping, Tiffany Lucchesi put together the fastest two-run average. Lucchesi recorded times of 5.590 and 3.830 seconds for a combined 9.420 seconds.
Lea Belgarde took second in the average with a combined 19.880 seconds after runs of 14.620 and 5.260. Taylor Silva recorded a 4.310-second time on one qualified run, while Evalynn Robles finished with a 13.380 on one.
Team roping followed, with Shawn Lucchesi recording the top average at 18.100 seconds. Tiffany Lucchesi was part of teams that finished second and third in the average with times of 22.550 and 23.310 seconds.
The rodeo also made room for some of its youngest spectators to get into the arena. Children were invited out to chase calves and attempt to pull ribbons from their tails, with Dairy Queen gift cards waiting as prizes. The activity gave the kids a chance to become part of the rodeo rather than simply watching from the stands.
Young riders also took center stage during miniature bull riding. Milo Albers earned the win during the first night of mini-bull competition, while Waylon Engman took the win on the second night.
Barrel racing featured a sizable field, including local riders. Prezleigh Porter of Pahrump was the first to make her run during the night, while fellow Pahrump competitor Ashlyn Beslyn also took her turn in the arena.
Emma Carmack ultimately finished at the top of the two-run barrel racing average. Carmack posted times of 17.361 and 17.664 seconds for a combined 35.025.
The competition behind her was close. Robles finished second with a 35.338 average after runs of 17.695 and 17.643 seconds, only .313 seconds behind Carmack.
Dani Peden took third with a combined 35.620 after runs of 17.815 and 17.805. Siara Landgrave finished fourth at 36.331, followed by Weslynn Porter in fifth at 37.756 and Stephanie Markovich in sixth at 38.301.
Prezleigh Porter finished seventh in the two-night average with a combined 39.259 seconds, while Sydney Boardman was eighth at 39.941.
Bull riding brought another hometown competitor into the arena when Pahrump’s Tyler Jesse climbed aboard. His ride ended quickly, but the crowd had another local cowboy to support as the event continued.
One of the standout bull riding performances came from Morrison, a Nevada bull rider introduced as being among the state’s top 25. Morrison stayed aboard and earned an 87-point score. Combined with his 78-point ride from the other night, Morrison finished with 165 points on two qualified rides to claim the bull riding average.
Joe Harris recorded a 72-point qualified ride during the weekend, while Flint Schacht earned a score of 75 on one qualified ride.
The rodeo also took time away from competition to recognize the people, animals and traditions behind the annual event.
Tim Hafen was recognized with the Fall Festival Heritage Award, honoring his connection and contributions to the festival. An additional award was presented by Greg Hafen during the evening.
At another point in the program, the horses were released to run freely around the arena, giving the crowd an opportunity to see the animals outside of competition. The moment was also used to recognize the care given to the horses and the ranch that provided them for the weekend’s rodeo.
Across the two nights, the rodeo blended competition with the community elements that have long been part of the Pahrump Fall Festival. Local riders had opportunities to compete before a hometown crowd, visiting competitors chased buckles and top times, children got their own turn in the arena and veterans, community members and the animals at the center of the sport were recognized along the way.
From Hoffman’s winning bronc rides and Lucchesi’s quick work in breakaway roping to Carmack’s narrow barrel racing victory and Morrison’s pair of qualified bull rides, the weekend provided plenty of competition while keeping the focus on the community traditions surrounding the annual Pahrump Fall Festival Rodeo.
*These photos and more are available at pvcnphotos.com.
