PRORODEO Sports News March 2026 Digital Edition

shapes his approach. “When I get on the back of the chutes, I’m just trying to soak it all in and not take any of it for granted,” he said. The draw against the seasoned Calgary Stampede horse only added to the moment. Hooper had long hoped to get on Disco Party but had never drawn the horse before. “I went to bed last night and woke up this morning to check my phone and saw that I had him,” he said. “I was really excited.” Even after the horse slipped slightly after leaving the chute, Hooper never lost confidence. “I knew what I had, and I knew it was going to be fun one way or the other,” Hooper said. “I didn’t know what the score was going to be, and I didn’t care. I just knew tonight I was going to let it all hang out.” Hooper fought his way through Bracket 5, stacking consistent rides to build his momentum in Fort Worth. He opened with 86 points on Pickett Pro Rodeo’s Top Notch for a $1,900 paycheck and an early foothold in the round. He stayed sharp in Round 2, posting an 85.5-point ride on Pickett Pro Rodeo Trouble At The Top to earn $2,500 and secure his spot in the semifinals. The semifinals proved pivotal after Hooper matched with Calgary Stampede’s Bucking Knight and delivered an 87-point ride to split first with Jacob Lees, pocketing $3,000 and advancing to the championship round. The result of the final round was the highest-marked ride of the rodeo, though Hooper was quick to credit the matchup. “You have to have the horse,” he said. “There are seven other guys that, if they’d have had the horse I had tonight, there’s a good chance you’d be talking to them right now. So, I’m just thankful it was me.” While this marks the beginning of the 2026 season for Hooper, Fort Worth has proven he plans to make noise for the remainder of the year. “There’s still a lot of season left,” he said. “I’m just go ing to go to the rodeos I want to go to, get on the horses I want to and have fun when I do it.” STEER WRESTLERS KALAWAIA, ANDERSON SPLIT FORT WORTH WIN Backed into the box with everything on the line, 23-year-old Trisyn Kalawaia emerged from the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo as both a champion and a history maker, becoming the first Hawaiian cowboy to win the legendary rodeo after splitting the steer wres tling title with 27-year-old Bridger Anderson at 3.8 seconds, a victory worth $16,000 apiece. “Winning here is awesome,” Kalawaia said. “This is my biggest win in my career, and to be able to stay with Bridger, it’s just a happy feeling. It’s a great start to the

TILDEN HOOPER ELECTRIFIES FORT WORTH CROWD WITH

92-POINT RIDE By Kensie Darst-Todd, Special to PRORODEO Sports News

Tilden Hooper shined during the championship round in Fort Worth, posting a 92-point ride on Calgary Stampede’s Disco Party to win the title. (PRCA photo by James Phifer)

Nearly two decades into his PRORODEO career, 38-year-old Tilden Hooper proved he’s still a force to be reckoned with after opening the 2026 winter season with a 92-point ride on Calgary Stampede’s Disco Party at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo on Feb. 7. Hooper matched the horse Rocker Steiner won the world championship with to collect $20,000, his first win of the 2026 season. “What a fun night,” Hooper said. “I don’t take this stuff for granted. It’s a special night anytime you get to win one of these big rodeos.” The win vaulted the 10-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier into the top five of the PRCA | Bill Fick Ford World Standings early in the season. Nearly two decades after earning his PRORODEO card, Hooper continues to compete with a sense of appreciation that

MARCH 2026 PRORODEO SPORTS NEWS DIGITAL MAGAZINE 9