PRORODEO Sports News March 2026 Digital Edition

SHORT ROUND

PRCA NAMES GENUINE BILLY COOK SADDLES OFFICIAL SADDLE OF THE NFR, NFR OPEN, AND CINCH PLAYOFFS

G enuine Billy Cook Saddles will become the Official Saddle of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR), the NFR Open, and the CINCH Playoffs and an official Saddle of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association beginning in 2026, the PRCA and Genuine Billy Cook Saddles announced today. “Rodeo is defined by grit, determination and skill; Genuine Billy Cook Saddles are a physical manifestation of these core values,” said Paul Woody, Chief Marketing Officer of the PRCA. “Genuine Billy Cook has been part of the western landscape for generations. The iconic brand was taken over in recent years by a lifelong horse man who has reengineered its products and put them at the pinnacle of the industry. We’re proud to be putting their saddles in the hands of our champions at the big gest events in our sport.” The partnership recognizes Genuine Billy Cook Sad dles as the finest handmade Western saddles available on the market and places the brand at the center of the PRCA’s most prestigious competitions. The Wrangler NFR in Las Vegas crowns world champions across all rodeo events; the NFR Open showcases circuit cham pions from across the country; and the CINCH Playoffs serve as the final major stop for athletes chasing a cov eted NFR qualification. At each of these events, cham pions will receive custom Genuine Billy Cook Saddles, tangible symbols of achievement built with the same values that define the sport.

“Rebuilding this company after Billy passed, and again after the 2024 tornado, has been about restoring a legacy and cementing the future of western horse manship,” said Adam Trenk, Proprietor of Genuine Billy Cook Saddles. “This partnership with the PRCA validates that Genuine Billy Cook Saddles are now the trusted standard for how western saddles should perform to do the toughest jobs, and in the most presti gious arenas.” Founded in 1953 by master saddlemaker Billy Cook, the brand became synonymous with Western Saddles by the 1970s and was prominent until the 1990s when the saddle maker’s reputation had been tarnished by a knock-off brand producing sub-quality products under a similar name. After Cook’s death in 2019, the future was uncertain, but Trenk stepped in to re-establish the brand’s reputation, protect its artisans, and carry the legacy forward. In 2024, a devastating tornado destroyed the com pany’s Sulphur, Okla., base of operations. Committed to the mission, Trenk and the Billy Cook team rebuilt a new facility within ten months, and operations have been fully restored in a new state-of-the-art shop with a rodeo arena and events center adjacent thereto. This re silience and dedication to quality has positioned Genu ine Billy Cook Saddles as the benchmark in the Western Saddle industry, as validated by the partnership with the PRCA.

36 PRORODEO SPORTS NEWS DIGITAL MAGAZINE MARCH 2026 PRORODEO SPORTS NEWS