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V. DespenzaChit Chat Atlanta Tours Launches Southside Remix Restaurant Experience Highlighting Black-Owned Culinary CultureKeisha Lance Bottoms Wins Georgia Democratic Primary Outright, Avoiding Runoff in Major Show of StrengthMayor Andre Dickens Unveils Sweeping Neighborhood Reinvestment Act Focused on Anti-Displacement and EquityMARTA Opens New Pedestrian Bridge at Indian Creek Station, Marking Major Milestone in Systemwide Rehabilitation EffortObama Foundation Announces Free South Side Watch Party for Presidential Center Grand OpeningThe Quiet Expansion of AI: How It Is Entering Everyday DecisionsInside the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo — Part 7Obama Foundation Names Garden Pavilion for Nancy Pelosi at Presidential CenterAtlanta Expands Summer Youth Employment Program as Mayor Dickens Celebrates Nearly 20,000 Youth Connected to JobsAI in Plain Language: Why This Technology Affects EveryoneSHADOW BALL: Learning More About Negro League HistoryCharlotte Mayor Vi Lyles Announces Surprise Resignation, Closing a Historic Chapter in Queen City LeadershipARTIST PROFILE: Jay FreemanPraise Dance Brought Them Together. Motherhood Kept Them Engaged. Faith Keeps Them Grounded.Crime Down, Investment Up: DeKalb CEO Highlights Transformation StrategyObama Presidential Center Museum Tickets Go on Sale May 6 as Opening ApproachesThe AI Shift: What Everyday People Need to Understand Right NowLouisiana Republicans Eliminate Elected Position Days Before Democrat was to Assume OfficeInsurance Reform Takes Center Stage as DeAndre Mathis Pushes Consumer-Focused Agenda in Georgia RaceGeorgia Honors Life and Legacy of David Scott at State Capitol CeremonyMARTA, Regional Transit Riders Face May 2 Deadline to Switch to New Better Breeze SystemInside the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo — Part 6Dickens Administration Expands Blight Tax to Revitalize NeighborhoodsWhen Progress Skips Its Own FootstepsSHADOW BALL: Learning More About Negro League HistoryDowntown Atlanta Enterprise Zone Proposed to Leverage World Cup for Long-Term GrowthMARTA Riders Face May 2 Deadline to Switch to New ‘Better Breeze’ Fare SystemGrambling State University to Welcome Fawn Weaver as Spring 2026 Commencement SpeakerAtlanta Turns Infrastructure into Canvas with New Public Mural in MechanicsvilleStill BecomingWhose Voices Carry in Georgia Politics? 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Randy GeorgeHenry County Charts Path Forward with Growth, Safety, and Investment at 2026 State of the County
Tue. Jul 28th, 2026
Trending News: Keisha Lance Bottoms Appeals to Georgia Voters, Especially Black Men: Record Turnout Could Decide Georgia’s Governor’s RaceThe Human Stakes of AI: Why This Technology Deserves Public AttentionSHADOW BALL: Learning More About Negro League HistoryThe Road to Los Angeles: How Soul Country Music Star Is Showcasing the Next Generation of Black Country ArtistsAsk the Archivist: Obama Presidential Center Opens Door to Presidential Research Through New Public ProgramWarnock’s $35 Insulin Cap Bill Clears Senate Committee, Moves One Step Closer to Becoming LawBlack Writers Weekend Comes Home: Why Atlanta Will Host More Than a Literary FestivalWhy Speed Feels Loud After a Certain AgeSHADOW BALL: Learning More About Negro League HistoryAI and the Public Good: Why Citizens Need a Clear UnderstandingSix Blocks That Changed the Conversation About Lung HealthWNBA Makes History as First Professional Sports League to Host Events at Obama Presidential CenterSHADOW BALL: Learning More About Negro League HistoryUnapologetically InfluentialThe Real AI Revolution: How Technology Is Rewriting Daily LifeKaiser Permanente Expands ‘Building for Impact’ in Atlanta, Connecting Minority Contractors to Growing Healthcare ProjectsAmerica at 250: The Distance Between Promise and PracticeDream Fall to Valkyries Despite Strong Individual PerformancesA Celebration of Hope Inspires Birmingham’s Community Conversation on Lung CancerAre African American Millennials and Gen Zers Too Busy Partying While Democracy Burns?Dream Rally Falls Short as Valkyries End Atlanta’s Four-Game Winning StreakThe Unfinished Journey: Why We Commemorate Juneteenth—NOT THE FOURTH OF JULYThe New Digital Power: How AI Is Changing Trust, Control, and ChoiceWarnock’s Private Equity Housing Ban Clears Congress, Offering Working Families Long-Awaited ReliefDream Shatter Franchise Scoring Record, Reese Makes History in 113–96 Win Over FeverHope Comes Home: Obama Presidential Center Opens on Chicago’s South SideHow a Town of 5,000 Stopped a 10,000-Bed Detention CenterReese Records 10th Double-Double as Dream Win in IndianaGeorgia Voters Shake Up Political Landscape, Setting Stage for High-Stakes November ElectionsAI and Common Sense: Why Everyday People Must Stay AwakePart III – “From Awareness to Action”: Communities Confront Lung Cancer TogetherGeorgia Governor Brian “Strange Fruit Planting” Kemp Helps Revive and Lead the ConfederacyLiberty Pull Away from Dream, 104-90, in Key Commissioner’s Cup MatchMARTA Partners With Big Boi to Launch “Let MARTA Drive” Campaign Ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026Atlanta Dream Grind Out 82–75 Road Win Behind Historic Night From Rhyne Howard and Angel ReeseWho and Where Will You Be When History Calls?AI and Human Judgment: What People Must Protect as Machines AdvanceSHADOW BALL: Learning More About Negro League HistoryPart II – “Your Lungs Are Talking”: How the Respiratory System Works – and What It Tells UsWarnock Challenges Americans to Imagine What $70 Billion Could Buy Beyond Immigration EnforcementWhat AI Means for Regular People: Power, Risk, and Daily LifePart I – “Anyone With Lungs”: Understanding the Hidden Realities of Lung CancerGlobal Grub Alley to Turn Walton Street Into a World Cup Food HavenBlack Women Nannies and White Babies: Loving, Nurturing, and Caring for the Children Who May One Day Grow Up to Hate You Simply Because of the Color of Your SkinObama Foundation Names New Presidential Center Spaces Honoring Civic and Social Change LeadersAtlanta Hypertension Initiative Launches Coordinated Push to Reduce Heart Attacks and Strokes Across Metro RegionDeKalb Leaders Highlight Public Safety Gains, Housing Initiatives, and Infrastructure Investments During Quarterly Town HallSHADOW BALL: Learning More About Negro League HistoryIt’s Time for Cooperstown to Catch UpCongressional Black Caucus Presses U.S. Companies To Oppose Republican Redistricting PushBeyond the Hype: What AI Is Really Changing in Everyday LifeARTIST PROFILE:  M. V. DespenzaChit Chat Atlanta Tours Launches Southside Remix Restaurant Experience Highlighting Black-Owned Culinary CultureKeisha Lance Bottoms Wins Georgia Democratic Primary Outright, Avoiding Runoff in Major Show of StrengthMayor Andre Dickens Unveils Sweeping Neighborhood Reinvestment Act Focused on Anti-Displacement and EquityMARTA Opens New Pedestrian Bridge at Indian Creek Station, Marking Major Milestone in Systemwide Rehabilitation EffortObama Foundation Announces Free South Side Watch Party for Presidential Center Grand OpeningThe Quiet Expansion of AI: How It Is Entering Everyday DecisionsInside the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo — Part 7Obama Foundation Names Garden Pavilion for Nancy Pelosi at Presidential CenterAtlanta Expands Summer Youth Employment Program as Mayor Dickens Celebrates Nearly 20,000 Youth Connected to JobsAI in Plain Language: Why This Technology Affects EveryoneSHADOW BALL: Learning More About Negro League HistoryCharlotte Mayor Vi Lyles Announces Surprise Resignation, Closing a Historic Chapter in Queen City LeadershipARTIST PROFILE: Jay FreemanPraise Dance Brought Them Together. Motherhood Kept Them Engaged. Faith Keeps Them Grounded.Crime Down, Investment Up: DeKalb CEO Highlights Transformation StrategyObama Presidential Center Museum Tickets Go on Sale May 6 as Opening ApproachesThe AI Shift: What Everyday People Need to Understand Right NowLouisiana Republicans Eliminate Elected Position Days Before Democrat was to Assume OfficeInsurance Reform Takes Center Stage as DeAndre Mathis Pushes Consumer-Focused Agenda in Georgia RaceGeorgia Honors Life and Legacy of David Scott at State Capitol CeremonyMARTA, Regional Transit Riders Face May 2 Deadline to Switch to New Better Breeze SystemInside the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo — Part 6Dickens Administration Expands Blight Tax to Revitalize NeighborhoodsWhen Progress Skips Its Own FootstepsSHADOW BALL: Learning More About Negro League HistoryDowntown Atlanta Enterprise Zone Proposed to Leverage World Cup for Long-Term GrowthMARTA Riders Face May 2 Deadline to Switch to New ‘Better Breeze’ Fare SystemGrambling State University to Welcome Fawn Weaver as Spring 2026 Commencement SpeakerAtlanta Turns Infrastructure into Canvas with New Public Mural in MechanicsvilleStill BecomingWhose Voices Carry in Georgia Politics? Examining Access Through Georgia’s Gubernatorial Forums”MARTA Launches First Phase of Rapid A-Line Bus Service, Marking Major Step in Atlanta Transit ExpansionAtlanta Marks Major Housing Milestone with Opening of The Beacon at Cooper StreetThe Weight of a Life Taken Too SoonSHADOW BALL: Learning More About Negro League HistoryLiving With AI: How It Is Changing Work, Family, and CommunityWear Your Health on Your SleeveIn Rome, A Close Race Reveals a District in Tension Between Change and TraditionWhen Systems Forget Who They Were Built ForObama Presidential Center Announces Ticket Sales Ahead of Historic OpeningAtlanta Dream Acquire All‑Star Angel Reese in Major Trade With Chicago SkyInside the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo — Part 5Metro Leaders Urge Veto of HB 369, Call Bill “Targeted” and “Discriminatory”Obama Foundation Partners with After School Matters to Launch Youth Programs at Presidential CenterSNAP Eligibility, Policy Changes, and What Households Need to Know in 2026New Leadership on the Menu: Harris Campaign Brings Focus to Hiram VotersHegseth Ousts Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy GeorgeHenry County Charts Path Forward with Growth, Safety, and Investment at 2026 State of the County
Tue. Jul 28th, 2026

Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo Names 2025 Champions After a Year of Grow and New Partnerships and a Powerful Legacy

BPIR - Upper Marlboro

By Milton Kirby | Denver, CO | November 25, 2025

The Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo ended its 41st season the same way it started—with packed crowds, big moments, and a whole lot of love for the culture that keeps this tradition alive.

BPIR - Upper Marlboro
Photo by Milton Kirby -BPIR – Upper Marlboro, MD

BPIR President and CEO Valeria Howard-Cunningham expressed deep gratitude, highlighting how the event celebrates the history, family bonds, and the resilience of Black cowboys and cowgirls who keep this culture alive.

The 2025 tour stretched from Denver to Memphis, moved west through Oakland and Los Angeles, circled back to Atlanta, and touched down four times in historic Cowtown Coliseum in Fort Worth. The year closed in the DC/Upper Marlboro area, where the National Championship Finals brought out longtime supporters and new fans who wanted to witness the sport’s brightest stars.

A New Era in Country Music

A cultural shift is happening inside BPIR. The Soul Country Music Star partnership is giving Black country artists a stage they have long been denied. The Soul Country Rodeo Weekend brought immense talent and explosive energy, and the season ended in Burbank with the first-ever Soul Country Music Star Festival. When the dust settled, Atlanta’s Nathaniel Dansby walked away with the 2025 title.

Rodeo Meets Runway

Houston also saw something new when BPIR teamed up with SP5DER for the Sweet Tooth Rodeo. It was a mix of bucking bulls and bold fashion, and the arena looked more like a runway than a dirt floor. Fans are still talking about it.

BPIR - Upper Marlboro
Photo by Milton Kirby – BPIR – Upper Marlboro, MD

The Champions Who Left Nothing Behind

The athletes are the heartbeat of BPIR. Riders young and old brought fire to every arena this season. Championship titles went to:

Lamarr Hankins in Ranch Bronc.

Haley Mason in Ladies Breakaway.

Harrel Williams Jr in Junior Breakaway.

Tony Aska in Bull Dogging.

Devon Johnson and Montrel Gilder in Team Roping.

Travoris Zeno in Bull Riding.

And a rising generation—Kinley Adair, Rylen Wilburd, Paris Wilburd—claimed their own victories.

Montrel Gilder earned All Around Cowboy. Paris Wilburd took All Around Cowgirl. The future looks strong.

BPIR - Upper Marlboro
Photo by Milton Kirby – BPIR – Upper Marlboro, MD

Looking ahead

BPIR’s 42nd season is already shaping up with rodeos scheduled across the country, including dates in Fort Worth, Memphis, Atlanta, and Upper Marlboro, to keep the momentum going into 2026.BPIR’s 42nd season is already taking shape, and the movement rolls on with rodeos planned nationwide:

February 14     Fort Worth, TX (1:30 PM & 7:30 PM)

April 10           Memphis, TN (10:00 AM Rodeo for Kidz Sake)

April 11           Memphis, TN (1:30 PM & 7:30 PM)

April 17           Atlanta/Conyers, GA (Rodeo for Kidz Sake, Time TBD)

April 18           Atlanta/Conyers, GA (12:00 Noon & 7:30 PM)

May 16            Fort Worth, TX (1:30 PM & 7:30 PM)

June 20            Fort Worth, TX (1:30 PM & 7:30 PM)

July 11             Oakland, CA (2:30 PM)

July 12             Oakland, CA (2:30 PM)

July 18             Los Angeles, CA (7:00 PM)

July 19             Los Angeles, CA (3:30 PM)

August 1         Atlanta/Conyers (7:30 PM)

August 2         Atlanta/Conyers (3:30 PM)

August 15       Fort Worth, TX (1:30 PM & 7:30 PM)

September 18  Upper Marlboro, MD (10:00 AM & 7:30 PM)

September 19  Upper Marlboro, MD (1:30 PM & 7:30 PM)

October 17      Fort Worth, TX (1:30 PM & 7:30 PM)

Howard-Cunningham closed the season with a message of love and appreciation, emphasizing BPIR’s role in building unity and shared purpose, inspiring ongoing support for the movement into 2026.

Related articles

Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo National Finals Nominated for USA TODAY’s Best Rodeo Award

Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo Celebrates 40 Years of Tradition and Excellence

Martin Luther King, Jr. African-American Rodeo of Champions Thrills Denver Audience

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