Mesquite Championship Rodeo

From June through August, the Mesquite Championship Rodeo takes place in 5300-seat, air-conditioned Resistol Arena (renovated in 2009) just east of Dallas. More than 200,000 visitors show up to experience championship rodeo events, including bull riding, tie-down roping, steer wrestling, bronc riding, and barrel racing. The rodeo is also a great family activity, complete with mechanical bull,...

This big-time professional rodeo is just 15 minutes east of downtown Dallas. The season runs from April through September, but don't worry about the sweltering heat: The 5,500-seat Resistol Arena is fully air-conditioned. If you require further pampering while watching the calf roping, steer wrastlin', and barrel racing, decorated luxury suites offer wet bars and waiters. This very...

History of the Mesquite Championship Rodeo: Neal Gay was a city boy who grew up liking the rodeo. He grew up in the Pleasant Grove area of Dallas, Texas and rode calves for fun at a relative's farm. When he turned 17, Neal volunteered for the Coast Guard. After WWII he got involved in organized rodeo in 1945. Neal recalls: "My dad had a garage in Pleasant Grove, and Tex Lewis would come around....