There’s Nothing Like a Magical Evening at the Rodeo

There’s nothing like a rodeo. It’s fun, exciting, and a chance to see horse and rider work as a team to accomplish a goal.

If you love the rodeo or have wanted to experience one, you have a chance every Thursday night this summer to cheer on local cowboys and cowgirls. Visit the Stables at Tamaya, located at the Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort and Spa in Bernalillo, for a magical evening you won’t soon forget.

Fun Family Rodeo

Each summer, the Stables at Tamaya offers a series of rodeos run in conjunction with the Tamaya Horse Rehabilitation Program. This year, from June 12 through August 21, Tamaya Resort and Spa guests and local residents can attend an authentic rodeo. Experience the grand entry, steer roping, team roping, barrel racing, and various other events. There are even kid-friendly activities, like stick pony races.

Connie Collis, owner of the Stables at Tamaya and founder of the Tamaya Horse Rehabilitation Program, says, “Our rodeo is a family fun show. It’s a lighthearted event about growth rather than being a great barrel racer or roper. The participants aren’t competing for money or even against each other as much as they are trying to get better as riders.”

Of course, the riders have fun. But Collis explains that the horses have fun, too. They get a break from trail riding and get to do something different and interesting. “They are learning new skills,” she explains.

There’s Magic at the RodeoSeeing a horse and rider work together is magic. It’s also magical to see a rescued horse gain confidence and capability doing something new. Indeed, each horse at the rodeo has received a second chance…a new life…an opportunity to be transformed.

But the true magic that happens during rodeo season at The Stables at Tamaya is created by the people who attend. For instance, a 101-year-old woman who loved horses her whole life attended on evening. She was able to pet a horse before she died.

Or there was the time a three-year-old girl in a cowboy outfit cheered on the riders in the ring and the other one when a six-year-old boy went rogue riding his stick horse in the arena. And there was the time someone fell in love with a horse and adopted it.

“It’s the moments,” says Collis, “the things that just happen. Your heart swells while you are here at the rodeo.”

Just imagine sitting in the cool, shady stands and watching a glorious New Mexico sunset over the backdrop of mesas and hills, as horses and riders perform in the arena and other equines watch the festivities from their paddocks. It doesn’t get much more magical—or better—than that.

Collis says. “I have a passion for what we are doing, and that comes across as I announce the events. That passion is contagious.”

Rodeo Benefits Horse Rehab Program

All ticket proceeds go to the Tamaya Horse Rehabilitation Program, a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to giving horses a second chance and providing them with the support and resources they need to lead happy, healthy lives. During the rodeo, you’ll have a chance to learn about the horses that call The Stables at Tamaya home. “The rodeo is a chance for us to focus attention on the stories and growth of the horses and riders,” explains Connie.

Currently, 107 rescue horses are stabled at Collis’ home and at The Stables of Tamaya and Collis’ home, which is located on the picturesque Santa Ana Pueblo. Rodeo ticket sales help support these horses, by making it possible to purchase hay and grain and pay for veterinary costs.

Purchase Rodeo Tickets

Enjoy the magical rodeo events from the shady bleachers while sipping on a snow cone and feeling the cool evening breeze.

The first rodeo will be held on June 12, 2025, at 7 p.m. 

To attend, please purchase tickets in advance. The fee is minimal, yet so important to the care of the rescue horses. Adults attend for $20; children 12 and under for $10; children under 3 enter free.

To purchase tickets, go to tamayahorserehab.com.