Grand National Rodeo

Great event especially for kids. Can't wait for next year definitely coming back.

OMG, the hubby and I had a wonderful time Friday nite!!!! Got there early to visit the barns and pet all the gorgeous horses and take some pics. The owners there were very friendly and answered our questions and a few even posed with their horses. Then we toured the sellers area and saw all the variety of neat western wear, the lovely prints and paintings and photos, listened to one of the great bands playing on the stage. Finally got to our seats just before the rodeo started and great center row seats they were, we could see all the action and what a variety of action to be seen! The announcer was clear and kept us up with all the details of what was happening next. (Sorry for the bull rider who had to be carried off and we wondered what his condition is?) All in all, it an awesome nite and yep we'll be back as always to see all the sights and sounds of a Great event!!!!!!!

My girlfriend, son, and I had a awesome time at the rodeo.

The rodeo was a lot of fun with great veriaty of events.

While we were very much looking forward to the rodeo and have been before. This one was a yawner. Lots of politicizing of issues, not enough riding. Lots of riders that didn't complete and and lots of lulls between events.

Excellent for understanding and enjoying American Culture.

A great family outing. A little shopping for the wife, Lots of animals for kids to see and pet, and a good show. There is a little bit of cowboy in all of us.

Rodeo was great. I thought we were going to see working cow horses though.

Had a great time, good food, good shopping, good friends, good entertainment, couldn't ask for much more!

I am sorry to say that I thought this show was lame. The announcer was a big loud mouth Texan, and way too opinionated. It was not the great show of my youth.

A wonderful event! Great for horse and animal lovers. The Grand National is a fabulous showcase of California ranching and agriculture. My family and I look forward to it every year!

Even if you don't love Western, you need to take in a Rodeo. It's so Americana and American as mom's apple pie. The smell of horse-flesh and hay-Yeah! Boots and hats and belt-buckles. Nothin' like it!

I am very glad that the rodeo is back. I wish there had been more participants but maybe next year. I will definitely be back.

I had heard really great things about the GNR so I was really excited to go. Once we go there, I was disappointed with the small number of vendors. The rodeo itself was ok - seemed a little disorganized down in the arena with lots of confusion among the judges, contests, and wranglers at times. Barrel racing needed a much longer exit as riders were pulling up short and getting slower times. Overall, it was fine but not sure it was worth the drive and money. Seemed a little underwhelming.

Good rodeo and great bands afterwards! I had a blast!

Have been to several Grand National and, while this was a good rodeo, it lacked it's previous big presentation aspect. There was more of a show quality previously. The big screen with commercial like viewings pretty sure was to raise revenue but do not go to a show to watch commercials. Lastly, Ticketmaster needs to update their files. My seat was in the handicap section which was not requested and was a folding chair. Their were tickets sold to a non existent row as it had been removed for handicap access

The Grand National Rodeo at the Cow Palace in San Francisco is always a fun evening. Trick lady riders, buckin' broncs, bull riding are all included in the 2 hour show. A Western themed market is open before, during, and after the rodeo also if you want a new pair of boots or a saddle. If you like to watch cowboys and cowgirls do their stuff, this is the place to check it out.

had a good time wish cow palace was kept up better pretty dumpy

The rodeo it's self was good. However, the venue was terriable...dirty, uncomfortable seating, workers dirty(especially those handling food), bathrooms a mess. Hadn't been to the grand nationals in 15 or 20 yrs. Wasn't like I had remembered...Won't go back next year!

We enjoyed the Grand National a whole lot. But were disappointed that they didn't have any the show jumping horses there again or the arabians in costumes.

just a shadow of its former self. too few good cowboys not very skilled.after attending for almost 50 years, i have probably gone to my last one. 15.00 to park is overpriced!!!!

Opening ceremonies was terrible and videos DO NOT make up for the real thing. Women's barrel racing was the highlight.

Rodeo performers put their all into the events. Flow works well and the action flows through about 2 hours quite well. Not a lot of staff to help with seating including making sure people sat where they were supposed to be. Food service was very, very slow, not coordinated and not able to handle even a smaller opening night crowd. Items ran out before the show started. PA system was too loud for no seeming reason.

There was so much to do and see before the show, the horses, a rabbit show, shopping with kids activities and pony rides! My 4yo son had a blast before the show even started. My son loves animals so when they did the timed calf roping it upset him to see how they roped the calf and threw them on the floor n tied them up even after explaining to him it doesn't hurt the calf but everything else was great!

This was a great show and it was my first time going. I took along a couple of friends and we had a lot of fun watching all the events. Even my friends who have had no exposure to horses and rodeos had a blast.

Definitely a family event! Took my 7, and 9 yr old boy and girl. We sat through the whole event, and got our poster signed at the end :)

Overall this is a good program with one exception, the Extreme Bronc Riding events. These events are really animal cruelty. I am up there in years and it is hard to watch this type of bronc riding.

It was a great time.. We love the rodeo & try to attend every year. It's a blast. We always purchase the BBQ dinner tickets too. The food is awesome & the entire event is amazing. So much shopping can be done too.

I have attended the Grand National Rodeo for many years and always look forward to this event. This year however I was disappointed. There was only half the vendors that we have seen in the past, and what there was just seemed to be the same thing booth after booth. I also noticed that Jack Daniels no longer is a sponsor for the rodeo. The rodeo it's self was more of a horse show than a rodeo. This will no longer be an event I will be attending. I guess my best bet to see a good rodeo is the small town events throughout the year.

Great entertainment. We hadn't been to a rodeo for several years, but we really wanted to take our three year old grandson to see the horses (which he loves). We had a great time because our grandson was enjoying everything so much. He loved wearing his new cowboy hat and new cowboy boots looking just like the real cowboys. Our favorite parts were the Clydesdales, and the cowboy with the mustang and the convertible car. Good action and well behaved crowd, unlike many pro sporting events.

Excellent show.....I always love going to the Cow Palace.

This was our second year at the Grand Nation and it was fantastic. I would highly recommend going next year. Great fun for the entire family.

The Grand National Rodeo is a blast! It's a annual must attend event.

I had a great time at the Grand National this year!! My only complaint is the music. I would love to hear more Country/Rock rather than rap/hip-hop. Maybe Im just stuck in an older generation but I feel a Country Rodeo should have Country music. Also, I missed the Vaulting this year.

The Grand National Rodeo is an awesome event. It is a long standing tradition that it fun for the whole family. The Geoff Miller Band sounded great while the western barbeque was an awesome meal. The livestock show had a wide variety of beautiful horses. The variety of vendors made for a great shopping opportunity. I would highly recommend attending the Grand National Rodeo next year. I know that I will.

The only thing that kept me from giving a 4-star rating was the deplorable opening event "Extreme" something. It was a horrible and cruel display of "non" horsemanship. We left our seats; couldn't watch. One horse nearly flipped over backwards which could lead to death. Now I understand why PETA stands in protest outside. We attend annually, but am rethinking next year if that "Extreme" BS returns. On a positive note, the Bobby Kerr act with his cowboy poetry and Mustang is awesome! That is true horsemanship (mutual respect & trust). Also enjoyed the Clydes team and their tribute to that little girl. Please stop the Extreme thing....it's awful!

Rodeo used to be a bigger event. More stock, more cowboys etc. This year was just not as good as last years.

My family and I attended the Grand Nationals when I was young every year. I had such fond memories of how different from my Marin County suburban lifestyle the event was from the livestock to the merchandise to the events themselves, the clowns and the amazing people watching. It has been decades since I have been and my husband never. We went with another couple. She had fond 4H memories and he too had never been. We had just the best time. Our only disappointments were the BBQ where the line was FOREVER. Hard to find seating. People who just camped out at tables. Food was OK. The other problem was the sound system. We could not understand but every other sentence if lucky from the MC, who seemed like a funny guy. Otherwise, I have told friends they should make a trip back or go if they have never been.

A great evening of rodeo, perfect for city folks wanting something out of the ordinary. World class riders show their stuff on bucking horses and bulls. It is family friendly event, kids will live the sights and smells you don't see in the city. You can meet the competitors for autographs and pet the animals. Very fun band played before and after the rodeo for dancing your boots off. There is something for everyone.

I went with my asian husband, i am latina, he loved it. It was his first time to a rodeo. He cant wait to go again and niether can i. Very glad we went early to take advantage of all the before activities

The Rodeo craze is coming back! Its "THE NEW HOCKY"

Attended the Grand Nationals on Cattleman's Day and was there for the livestock judging as well as the BBQ followed by the nights Rodeo events. The entire day was fabulous! Would have liked to see more participants at the Rodeo competition though! The broncs and bulls were great livestock so definitely got a thrill seeing those rides. The commentator did a great job of keeping the crowd involved and telling us about the competitors. I will be back again next year!

One of the best shows I have ever seen. It was fun packed evening

Well run event, good value for the cost. really liked the access to the barns to check out the live stock. We took our nephew ( his first rodeo ) he had a great time.

We had excellent seats and the night was extraordinary!

The entire event was awesome; the only downside were the lack of vendors. There was almost no one selling shirts jeans boots etc etc.

My first rodeo and I was delighted ! Nice venue and good atmosphere :-) Great show !

sooooo much action, great ride by riders, horses and bulls were beautiful, magnificent animals.

The whole event was so well put together I had an amazing people there were some amazing riders there I recomend this to anyone who enjoys Rodeoing or is interested in it great experience!

The Rodeo was awesome. The announcer was funny and outgoing. My only complaint would be the DJ. Next time I don't want to listen to as much hip-hop, rap or pop music, I feel like a rodeo should have country, rock, and blues, but that is just my personal preference. Other than that my husband and I had a great time!

iTS A JOY TO SEE THE CHAMPS IN YOUR OWN BACKYARD THIS RODEO IS AS GOOD AS THEY GET AND YOU ALWAYS HAVE GREAT GIFTS TO BUY WITHTHE SHOPING AND THE FOOD AND COLD BEER IS HARD TO BEAT

My 14 year old son and I had a great time at the Grand National!! The action is very fast paced with a different event every 10 minutes from of course the Bull and Bronco Riding competitions to Team calf roping. Events such as Barrel Racing featuring Lady riders are as exciting as the Bronco and Bull riding. The MC for the event was hilarious and there was a delicious BBQ dinner was available before the events. What urbane metropolitan area has an event as unique as this! I'm going every year with family and or friends from hear on out.

First time going to the Rodeo, first time for my wife attending a rodeo. I've been to a few before so I knew what to expect. However, what we experienced was something totally amazing. This was the best rodeo I have ever been to. The main reason I say this is that we were allowed to visit the horses, we went from stall to stall seeing all the different breeds of horses, from little Shetland Ponies to the majestic Clydesdales. The people who owned the horses were extremely nice and very proud of their horses, and the horses themselves were very accommodating, especially to my wife who just couldn't get enough nuzzling with them! The rodeo itself was fast paced, with shows in between each event so people never got bored or distracted. That in itself made this a very special rodeo. We are definitely going again next year and the years after that!

This was our first rodeo experience and the Grand National Rodeo was very fun. The box seats weren't much more than standard seats (at least when we bought them) and were well worth it for the better view. The event starts at 7:30 p.m. but if you get there half an hour early you'd be fine. Parking was $20 and both parking and concessions were cash only, so be prepared for that. The highlights were the bull riding, barrel racing, and the Clydesdale show. The announcers were pretty hokey, but it really was a lot of fun! We paid the $18/person for the tickets to the pre-rodeo BBQ and were very disappointed. The GNR website hyped this up to be a serious barbecue, but it was nothing more than mediocre grilled chicken and tri-tip drenched in grocery store BBQ sauce and beans from a can. Worse yet, they had the audacity to charge $10 for a cup of Coors and it was the only beer they served -- the microbrews were available only outside the BBQ at the concession stands. In short, definitely skip the BBQ. You'd be better off just hitting In n' Out Burger on the way to the Cow Palace. Excluding the BBQ, the rodeo was fantastic and definitely an out-of-the-ordinary way to spend a weekend evening in San Francisco. We'd definitely do it again.

It was our family's first time at the Rodeo and it was great! The seats were comfortable considering I had my 4month old on my knee enjoying the show; nicely padded and not too close together! There was a lot of cool shows and crazy action! My nieces loved it (3yrs and 5yrs old)! My 4 month old was interested but after a feeding fell asleep during one of the most exciting shows, the bull riding! And totally missed the guy who jumped over the Mexican fighting bull! All in all a wonderful time and I will definitely bring the family again!

Had an awesome time!! Really only bad thing was that we had to pay 4:50 for a can of soda, thought that was WAY to high. Great evening with great friends.

Fun event however I wish the bull riding section lasted longer

Grand National Rodeo is a wonderful event, a great date night or family event. We go every year we can. Always a good time!

The Grand National Rodeo and horse show at the Cow Palace is a must-see event. The entire evening was great fun from pulling into the parking lot which is very easy either the regular or the preferred parking. It's not a bad walk across the pedestrian bridge to the facility itself. The selection of interesting vendors inside was great. The barbecue was quite good. I would have felt more complete if it included even a can of soda or a bottle of water and maybe some apple cobbler or something like that to make it more authentic. As for the show itself, it was really fabulous we selected great seats about halfway between the ends of the arena. The in-between event Entertainment was fun and different there was never a dull moment, something for everybody it was great to see such a fabulously diverse crowd old young all ethnicities are just having a great time. I wish it had been more publicized that it was tough enough to wear pink night because I would have worn one of my pink shirts. And the cause was very Worthy. Really close to my heart since I lost my mother to leukemia and a sister to lung cancer and an uncle to lung cancer. Next year be sure and buy your tickets early and go for a great time for the whole family.

It was the first time for me and my family going to a rodeo , it sounded like fun and since we were on vacation in San Francisco and it was at something called the cow palace we decided to go. We purchased tickets for the pre show BBQ and expected good simple food and exiting show. The food was old BBQ brought in aluminum foil trays and the show was mediocre It was very disappointing

It was amazing my family and friends had a great time unfortunately it was raining but we still enjoyed our time. I hope to come back at the next Cow Palace rodeo.

My husband and I really enjoy this Rodeo. We have gone for years but this year was really special because we took our six year old grandson. He had a great time. He rode the mechanical bull, played with toy tractors, sat on real tractors and even milked a (fake) cow! All this before we even sat down for the Rodeo! We all enjoyed the Rodeo, including the wild mustang show and the Clydesdale horses!

The real cowboy rodeo events were great but the announcer and his blabbermouth companion talked way to much and brought so much non-rodeo stuff into the program that I almost walked out. Like crowd views with questions and answers from attendees. I am an old cowboy rodeo participant and fan and got my start at the Palace 70 years ago, doubt if I will ever go back.

You just can't beat the Cow Palace for a Rodeo venue..I've gone every year and wouldn't miss it. Great new clown on the ground throughout the show. Amazing Bull jumper at the end.....jumping and doing dive rolls and somersaults over the back of a charging Mexican fighting bull. Drill team was great, and the California Crush Clydesdales were wonderful. I love the Mustang rescue show with the rescue dogs, too. We watched the dancers in the market afterwards until midnight . Going again this next weekend, too.

I was disappointed to find this was just a rode "show/performance", and not a true rodeo with cowboys and cowgirls competing for purses or qualifying for other rodeos. The individual events were relatively short, with a lot of misses during the roping demonstration.

Amazing event!!! Unforgettable acts!! Always love a good rodeo!

My husband and I went to our first rodeo last weekend at the Cow Palace in Daly City, CA. The atmosphere and events were interesting and really exciting. I wouldn't go so far as to say the announcers ruined it, but they were difficult to understand. What was discernable was just "talking" and not announcing. For example, you might expect an announcer to say something like, "up next in the chute, we have Bob Smith from Chico, CA riding 2 year old Bruiser. Bob is ranked 3rd going into this event......Bruiser is known for....." Nothing like that. They just talked and then kept talking as the rider came out of the chute and bucked on the bull for a short time. Very disappointing. It would have been way better without them. And the music they played was odd as well. The crowd, the kids, the events, even the food was fun. We'd go again and only hope the announcers get a clue!

Rodeo is always a fun event. I would like to see it expanded...more market place vendors, more food vendors, more pre-rodeo entertainment. Also more entries in each event...specifically barrel racing.

This is supposed to be the best rodeo. I have seen better rodeos in smaller towns. No clowns, no special shows, just bronc, bull riding, steer wrestling & team roping. I'm 55 and have participated and attended at the Grand Nationals numerous times in the past 45 years. Have seen a-lot of good rodeos/horse shows. Will not go again to the Grand Nationals. Makes me sad.

liked rodeo, but clown and announcer constant talking (and not about rodeo action) was very distracting from the events taking place

This was my first rodeo. I can say that I really enjoyed it! I was just amazed with the athletic ability of the contestants. I will absolutely be back next year! In being a newcomer, it would have been nice to have more of an idea of who was coming out of the shoot and a little information about them. The MC and clown were talking so much that for the most part, the riders weren't announced until the were already out of the shoot and sometimes finished. I found it very distracting. I would have given 5 stars for my overall experience, but their chattering become overbearing for me.

The rodeo itself was pretty fun ..the low score was due to the facility.while I recognize that the cow palace is old, the staff and concessions are so far below adequate it made for a dismal evening. Staff were rude, concession people unpolite, incredible wait times and ran out of food and even soda at several of the stands. Employees made you feel like you were putting them out if you had a question or made a request. Oh .and no air movement within the arena ..84 degrees ! Terrible venue

We enjoyed this event very much. Lots of activity and fun. We actually went both weekends, that's how much we enjoyed it.

The rodeo would have been GREAT had it moved along at a faster clip. The clown was a total dud, just a time filler and waster.

My family enjoyed several of the actual rodeo events, but were overall disappointed. The crowd had a fairly "unimpressed" vibe also, with the MC constantly having to remind the crowd to clap. Very few vendors or exhibits. Skip the BBQ, terrible food, ESPECIALLY for $18 pp, with not even water/soda included. Had to spend another $20 on two waters and a Bud Light in a small clear plastic cup. LAME waste of money. I went several years back and it was a blast. Will NOT go again.

Every year I go to the Grand National Rodeo, it is a a great time for me and everyone I go with!

We went with my daughter and her family. Everyone enjoyed the event. We got there early and walked around, petted horses, rode the mechanical bull, rode the ponies, shopped at the merchant area. Then the rodeo, and all the great riders, excitement, music, clowns......it started a little late for the grandkids, but they stayed awake until the end.

It's all gravy baby. This is suppose to be 150 charters beer is good Wildcats make rodeos better and good turn out and overall good.

My husband and I just went to the Grand National Rodeo and we loved it. We had a Great time. We had not gone in years and we were so happy that we made the trip. I would highly recommend the Rodeo to all !

As so many of the traditions of the Bay Area are changing, the Grand National is still a thrill. What a great evening out!

The seats were very good and the experience was great for two little girls who had never been to the rodeo. Sure wish they could make the concessions not quite so greedy by charging so very much. It takes the fun out of it when you are gouged for water and pretzels.

Loved this event it had everything I hoped to see in a rodeo, bucking broncs, bull riding, roping, barrel racing and more. The Arabian display was amazing and enjoyed the Miss Grand National crowning ceremony Lots of vendors selling the very best in western gear and other wares at great prices, the food was delicious We had seats close to all the action and got to see the cowboys and cowgirls as they rode in for each event, definitely an action packed evening. The announcer was great he was entertaining and the music played was cool it helped get us all in the mood Can't wait to go next year!!!

very fun to watch! amazing first time at the rodeo. don't miss the pulled-pork sandwiches and beef jerkey

I really enjoyed this event..I go every year and will continue to go. I always gather a group of friends and they also enjoy it as well.

I loved the Rodeo! Not sure what I liked the most, the beer, the bulls or the cowboys. It was all good except maybe the price of the refreshments. A bit steep!

This was my first rodeo. It was a really great experience - awesome food and fun to see bull riding in person!

The horses and livestock really kept us entertained. I also love how the DJ kept us entertained between performaces.

it was a fun night out with my mom. We don't get to go out on a Sat. nite just the 2 of us that often.

This is a great experience. I learned so much about the Wild West And cow boy culture. Will defininitely come back.

The GNR was my fifth rodeo this year in Northern Nevada & California. I would have to say the GNR is not my top favorite. I would rank them accordingly; Reno, Truckee, Salinas, GNR, and Folsom. I have heard the announcer before and I do enjoy listening to him. The rodeo clown in Truckee was great, got the crowd into the entire rodeo and not just during the bull riding. However, it shouldn't take a clown to get the crowd into a rodeo. For some reason they didn't seem to be in to it. I think the rodeo stock was very good and cowboys/girls were good all around athletes. I am debating whether to go again this weekend.

Loved the performances. Loved the Drill Team show. Great vendors.

The announcer fancies himself a comedian. But, he's really bad at it. Read all the reviews on here about him and you'll see what I'm talking about. As long as they have this guy, people will not want to come back. I grew up in the rodeo business so I know what a great announcer is, and this man is not good. They need a real professional and they need to spend the money to get a quality announcer. He was dancing, ragging on both the Dallas Cowboys and the Niners. His jokes are really bad. Instead, if they want jokes, they need a clown in the area mic'd up to make all the jokes and the announcer play straight very professional. This would work.

Im not your average rodeo-goer, had a blast! However, i dont think id get the bbq ticket again!

it was very disappointing no rodeo clown bullfighter was the same guy that did pickup off the horses very very disappointed with the whole show I will not go again I've been going since I was a young kid

Go early, stay late.Never a dull moment. The grand entry ceremony sets up your mind for this western tradition

The overall event was way smaller than in past years. The market place had only about 1/3rd of the sellers as I remember. This was very disappointing. No boots were offered by any vendor. BBQ was good but not great. In the rodeo events, all except the bull riding only had 4 or so contestants or teams. Why? The quality of contestants seemed a bit low.

I would hope that the cowboys would sharpen up their skills for the next events. We felt it was poorly attended by contestants. And the contestants did poorly. We hadn't been to the Grand National Rodeo in a long time, but it wasn't very "grand" this year. I really missed the clowns in the barrels. Maybe because the cost of things are too expensive it's keeping the cowboys away? Food was outrageous. Garlic fries $6.50, a beer $8.50, a "kids size" hotdog $4.00 a Margarita was $11.00, boxed candy was $4.50. I don't know what they wanted for their bbq, but if this was the prices for their junk food, I figured it must be $15.00 a plate. The biggest disappointment was the rest rooms. The first one I walked into I almost lost my meal, the stench was so overpowering, but I really had to go. It smells better at a homeless encampment. All I could smell was pee. I went to a different one, it didn't smell like that until I got into the stall. The 3rd one I used seemed to be okay, or I was getting use to the smell. They need to take out the grout & re-do it. The bathrooms seemed clean, they just didn't smell clean. It was horrible. Also the net going across the jumbotron was in my way of watching the jumbotron easily. I don't know why they didn't take down the nets, they didn't need them up. Am I glad I went, yes, even with everything that wasn't up to snuff. Was it worth the 2 hours to go the normally 37 minute drive, (no thanks to Bart being on strike) and coming home it took 1.5 hours, maybe. It could have been a spectacular night at the Rodeo, that would have made it all worth while.

The rodeo is a FRACTION was what it once was- the daytime events are practically non-existent, and the schedule is not accurate. We hunted around in search of the outdoor arena (god forbid there be signs or event staff to tell you where to go), and finally found it at 2:30, in time to watch the 3pm color guard. Upon seating, it was announced that the final color guard team (of a total 4) had just finished, despite the fact that they were scheduled to begin at 3:00pm. Because the remaining days events had already happened (they were "ahead of schedule"), and there was a 4.5 hour wait to the rodeo, we decided we'd seen enough (or, nothing at all!), and left early. My only regret: Having paid for it ahead of time. Luckily I didn't pay for parking, since the guy who was assigned the parking passes was "out on break" from 2:00-4:00.

this was my first time going to a rodeo. I had a amazing time. I took my 2yr old son and he loved it. He loved all the animals. Had a great time cant wait for next year.

With over 20 bull riders it was like going to the PBR plus a rodeo