The Long Way
Tehama County
People gather outdoors near a large covered statue.
Plate I. Statue unveiling at the Red Bluff Round-Up. From redbluffroundup.com
People stand around a covered statue with a fire truck nearby on a sunny day.
Plate II. Red Rock statue installation, Red Bluff Round-Up. From redbluffroundup.com
Two workers clean and maintain a large statue of a cowboy riding a bucking bull.
Plate III. Red Rock statue, Red Bluff Round-Up. From redbluffroundup.com
A child wearing a helmet rides a sheep in a rodeo arena.
Plate IV. Mutton bustin', Red Bluff Round-Up. From redbluffroundup.com
A large bronze statue of a cowboy riding a bucking bull outdoors.
Plate V. Red Rock statue, Red Bluff Round-Up grounds. From redbluffroundup.com
A woman stands beside a large round platform as a wrapped sculpture of a rider on a horse is lifted into the air by a crane.
Plate VI. Red Rock statue installation, Red Bluff Round-Up. From redbluffroundup.com
A single-story office building with a brown shingle roof and a parking lot in front.
Plate VII. Red Bluff Round-Up Association building. From redbluffroundup.com
Three saddles displayed on wooden stands indoors.
Plate VIII. Museum exhibits, Red Bluff Round-Up. From redbluffroundup.com

Red Bluff Round-Up

Red Bluff, Tehama County, California. Rodeo; Third weekend of April.

Details

Map. Red Bluff, Tehama County, California. Larger map
Where
650 Antelope Blvd, Red Bluff, CA 96080. Directions
When
Last held April 17–19, 2026; next year’s date not yet stated.
Getting there
From I-5, exit Antelope Blvd in Red Bluff and head east 2 miles; the Tehama District Fairgrounds is on the left side of the road.
Fees
Paid admission; tickets on sale.
Hours
Office: Monday-Friday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm.
Access
Local box office at 670 Antelope Blvd Suite #1, east of the main entrance of the fairgrounds. Parking in the Main lot off Antelope Blvd or the Trinity lot off Trinity Ave.
Walk-in or reserve
RV and stall reservations open early 2027.
Phone
530-527-1000
Website
redbluffroundup.com
Managed by
Red Bluff Round-Up Association.
Established
1921.

America's largest three-day rodeo, founded in 1921 as an adjunct to the Tehama County Fair; the first Northern California rodeo to join the Cowboys' Turtle Association, a precursor to the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA).

Notable Events

  1. 1918Tehama County's first recorded rodeo was held at the A.H. Clough Ranch after the spring roundup. redbluffroundup.com
  2. 1919Cattle ranchers Jess Bennett and Ivy Bell held an informal bronc-riding and roping contest on their Vina ranch. redbluffroundup.com
  3. 1923The event was canceled because rodeos were not financially feasible. redbluffroundup.com
  4. 1926Red Bluff cattlemen formed the Red Bluff Round-Up Association and held a spring rodeo attended by an estimated 10,000 people. redbluffroundup.com
  5. 1928The rodeo parade began as a caravan of fifty cars led by sheriff's sirens. redbluffroundup.com
  6. 1966The rodeo changed from its two-day format to a three-day format. redbluffroundup.com
  7. 1988Red Bluff hosted one of seven match rides between world champion Lane Frost and Red Rock. redbluffroundup.com
  8. 2000The Round-Up began its annual costumed roughstock Wild Ride at the conclusion of the rodeo. redbluffroundup.com
  9. 2001The 4,000-square-foot museum building was completed by the board, volunteers, contractors, and North Valley firms. redbluffroundup.com
  10. 2015The Red Bluff Round-Up was inducted into the PRCA Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs. redbluffroundup.com
  11. 2021The Red Bluff Round-Up hosted its 100th anniversary. redbluffroundup.com
  12. Hoof-and-mouth disease wiped out several herds and canceled all rodeos. redbluffroundup.com

People

  • Josie Smith, compiler of the centennial Round-Up history and board member of the Tehama County Genealogical and Historical Society.
  • Don Tait, advertising man known as Montana Red whose creative work helped draw the inaugural spring rodeo crowd.
  • Lane Frost, 1987 world champion bull rider in the 1988 Challenge of Champions match ride (1988).
  • Ivy Bell, cattle rancher who held the 1919 Vina bronc-riding and roping contest (1919).
  • Jess Bennett, cattle rancher who held the 1919 Vina bronc-riding and roping contest (1919).
  • Mike Fish, Red Bluff resident who rode on the hood of the sheriff's car in the first parade caravan (1928).
  • Walter Williams, Tehama County undersheriff who led the first parade caravan (1928).

Sources

  1. redbluffroundup.com
  2. cafinalsrodeo.com/p/circuit-rodeos/rodeos-of-the-california-circuit
  3. redbluffroundup.com/p/about/history
  4. redbluffroundup.com/p/about
  5. redbluffroundup.com/p/museum
  6. chicoer.com/2026/04/21/100-years-of-red-bluff-round-up-history-the-biblio-file